Cefeo
Cepheus (Cephei)
Cepheus, named after the mythological king of Ethiopia, is a circumpolar constellation for most northern observers. Though its stars are not particularly bright, Cepheus is astronomically important as it contains Delta Cephei, the prototype star for Cepheid variables - stars whose regular brightness variations serve as cosmic distance indicators. The constellation's house-shaped pattern is distinctive once recognized.
📜 Mitología
Cepheus was the king of Ethiopia (or Aethiopia), husband of the vain Queen Cassiopeia, and father of Princess Andromeda. When Cassiopeia's boast that she was more beautiful than the Nereids angered Poseidon, the kingdom was threatened by the sea monster Cetus. Cepheus reluctantly agreed to sacrifice Andromeda to appease the gods. The princess was saved by Perseus, and the entire family was eventually placed among the stars, with Cepheus forever watching over his wife and daughter.
💡 Datos curiosos
- ✦Delta Cephei is the prototype Cepheid variable, and its period-luminosity relationship is used to measure cosmic distances
- ✦Due to precession, Alderamin will become the North Star in about 5,500 years
- ✦Mu Cephei, nicknamed the 'Garnet Star' by William Herschel, is one of the largest and reddest stars visible to the naked eye