August 2015 - Steve Kainec - Cassiopeia
Mar 10, 2015 3:10:58 GMT
Post by Carisa Adams on Mar 10, 2015 3:10:58 GMT
Cassiopeia (The Queen)
Cassiopeia is a northern circumpolar constellation so it is up all the time, but it is best to view right after sunset in the fall or early winter. In late summer it will be nicely placed around midnight. It is the 25th largest constellation by area. Cassiopeia is probably one of most easiest recognizable constellations with the brighter stars of the constellation forming the familiar “W” or “M” asterism in it. It is bordered by Andromeda to the south, Perseus to the southeast, and Cepheus to the north.
Cassiopeia is one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century Greek astronomer Ptolemy. In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia was married to Cepheus, and they were the queen and king of Ethiopia and the parents of the princess Andromeda. Cassiopeia is usually depicted sitting in a chair, formed by the main stars that make up the “W” or “M”. When the constellation is low on the horizon Cassiopeia is depicted as sitting upside down. This was her punishment by the gods for her vanity for boosting about her and her daughter’s beauty. Other mythologies have portrayed the constellation as the mother earth goddess and the goddess of fertility.
Notable Stars
The Milky Way runs the length of the constellation so this is star rich area which is good to scan with a binoculars or a rich field telescope. The constellation does not contain any real bright stars, its brightest star Alpha Cassiopeiae, at magnitude 2.2 being only the 71st brightest star in the sky. Cassiopeia does contain some very nice double stars.
Some nice Double Stars
Star Designation(s)
RA/Dec
Separation
Magnitudes
Notes
Sigma (σ) ; 8 Cas ; ∑3049
23 59.0 +55 45
3"
5.0,7.1
B/G. Close pair, need steady skies to split
Eta (η) ; 24 Cas; ∑60
00 49.1 +57 49
12"
3.4,7.5
Y/P color and mag contrast
Alpha (α); 18 Cas;
00 40.4 +56.6
64,38"
2.5,9,13
Multiple Star. Main stars -R/B
Iota (ι) ; ∑262
02 29.1 +67.4
2,7"
4,7,8
Y/BW/BW challenging triple
WZ Cas; O∑∑254
00 01.2 +60 21
58"
7.6,8.7
R/B. The main star is a Carbon star.
∑3035
00 02 +66 06
15"
5.9, 7.3
O/B
A couple interesting Variable Stars
Star Designation(s)
RA/Dec
Magnitude
Period
Notes
RZ Cassiopeiae
02 48.9 +69 38
6.18 to 7.72
1.19 days
Eclipsing binary star. It goes from 6.18 to 7.72 in about two hours, and then starts to brighten immediately taking another 2 hours to go back to normal magnitude.
T Cassiopeiae
00 23.2 +55 48
6.9 to 13.0
444 Days
Mira type variable
Deep Sky Objects
With the Milky Way running though it, there are a lot of open star clusters in Cassiopeia, with a few first rate ones. The constellation does contain a number of nebulas, but really no bright ones. There are two Messier objects located in Cassiopeia, M52 and M103, both open clusters. There are also a number of other objects in Cassiopeia that usually make some best of the NGC lists produced by various organizations. In southern Cassiopeia, away from the obstructing stars of the Milky Way, there are even three galaxies that are in reach of larger backyard telescopes.
Notable Deep Sky Objects
Name
Type
RA
Dec
Notes
NGC7789
OC
23 57.0
56 44
One of the major omissions from the Messier catalog. This is a very nice open cluster with several hundred 11th magnitude and fainter stars spread over a half a degree. Discovered by Caroline Herschel as is known as Caroline’s Rose or the White Rose because the loops of stars in it resemble the pattern of rose petals.
M52
OC
23 24.2
61 35 08
A very nice cluster of about 100 stars, discovered by Messier in 1774 and is about 3,900 ly distant. Brightest member is a 8.2 mag star near the edge.
NGC185
00 39.0
48 20
A dwarf elliptical galaxy that shows up on some best of the NGC lists. This is a distant companion to M31 approx 2.08 million ly away. Nearby are the galaxies NGC278 and NGC147. If you can see NGC185 then you probably can see NGC278, NGC147 is a bit fainter is more difficult to see.
NGC281
OC
00 52.8
56 37
This is an open cluster with nebulosity. The nebula responds well to a UHC filters as is known as the Pacman Nebula. Might be difficult in smaller telescopes.
NGC457
OC
01 19.1
58 20
The Owl or ET cluster. This a very nice, bright cluster that forms an asterism that makes a stick figure given the cluster it’s nicknames.
NGC663
OC
01 46.0
61 15
A nice cluster with around 80 stars that probably should of made Messier list.
M103
OC
01 33.2
60 42
Discovered in Mechain in 1781 is about 9,200 ly distant. Smaller cluster, not as impressive as M52.
Stock2
OC
02 15.0
59 16
A very large cluster that is near the Double Cluster, this is a nice object for binoculars and RFT.
Cassiopeia is a northern circumpolar constellation so it is up all the time, but it is best to view right after sunset in the fall or early winter. In late summer it will be nicely placed around midnight. It is the 25th largest constellation by area. Cassiopeia is probably one of most easiest recognizable constellations with the brighter stars of the constellation forming the familiar “W” or “M” asterism in it. It is bordered by Andromeda to the south, Perseus to the southeast, and Cepheus to the north.
Cassiopeia is one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century Greek astronomer Ptolemy. In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia was married to Cepheus, and they were the queen and king of Ethiopia and the parents of the princess Andromeda. Cassiopeia is usually depicted sitting in a chair, formed by the main stars that make up the “W” or “M”. When the constellation is low on the horizon Cassiopeia is depicted as sitting upside down. This was her punishment by the gods for her vanity for boosting about her and her daughter’s beauty. Other mythologies have portrayed the constellation as the mother earth goddess and the goddess of fertility.
Notable Stars
The Milky Way runs the length of the constellation so this is star rich area which is good to scan with a binoculars or a rich field telescope. The constellation does not contain any real bright stars, its brightest star Alpha Cassiopeiae, at magnitude 2.2 being only the 71st brightest star in the sky. Cassiopeia does contain some very nice double stars.
Some nice Double Stars
Star Designation(s)
RA/Dec
Separation
Magnitudes
Notes
Sigma (σ) ; 8 Cas ; ∑3049
23 59.0 +55 45
3"
5.0,7.1
B/G. Close pair, need steady skies to split
Eta (η) ; 24 Cas; ∑60
00 49.1 +57 49
12"
3.4,7.5
Y/P color and mag contrast
Alpha (α); 18 Cas;
00 40.4 +56.6
64,38"
2.5,9,13
Multiple Star. Main stars -R/B
Iota (ι) ; ∑262
02 29.1 +67.4
2,7"
4,7,8
Y/BW/BW challenging triple
WZ Cas; O∑∑254
00 01.2 +60 21
58"
7.6,8.7
R/B. The main star is a Carbon star.
∑3035
00 02 +66 06
15"
5.9, 7.3
O/B
A couple interesting Variable Stars
Star Designation(s)
RA/Dec
Magnitude
Period
Notes
RZ Cassiopeiae
02 48.9 +69 38
6.18 to 7.72
1.19 days
Eclipsing binary star. It goes from 6.18 to 7.72 in about two hours, and then starts to brighten immediately taking another 2 hours to go back to normal magnitude.
T Cassiopeiae
00 23.2 +55 48
6.9 to 13.0
444 Days
Mira type variable
Deep Sky Objects
With the Milky Way running though it, there are a lot of open star clusters in Cassiopeia, with a few first rate ones. The constellation does contain a number of nebulas, but really no bright ones. There are two Messier objects located in Cassiopeia, M52 and M103, both open clusters. There are also a number of other objects in Cassiopeia that usually make some best of the NGC lists produced by various organizations. In southern Cassiopeia, away from the obstructing stars of the Milky Way, there are even three galaxies that are in reach of larger backyard telescopes.
Notable Deep Sky Objects
Name
Type
RA
Dec
Notes
NGC7789
OC
23 57.0
56 44
One of the major omissions from the Messier catalog. This is a very nice open cluster with several hundred 11th magnitude and fainter stars spread over a half a degree. Discovered by Caroline Herschel as is known as Caroline’s Rose or the White Rose because the loops of stars in it resemble the pattern of rose petals.
M52
OC
23 24.2
61 35 08
A very nice cluster of about 100 stars, discovered by Messier in 1774 and is about 3,900 ly distant. Brightest member is a 8.2 mag star near the edge.
NGC185
00 39.0
48 20
A dwarf elliptical galaxy that shows up on some best of the NGC lists. This is a distant companion to M31 approx 2.08 million ly away. Nearby are the galaxies NGC278 and NGC147. If you can see NGC185 then you probably can see NGC278, NGC147 is a bit fainter is more difficult to see.
NGC281
OC
00 52.8
56 37
This is an open cluster with nebulosity. The nebula responds well to a UHC filters as is known as the Pacman Nebula. Might be difficult in smaller telescopes.
NGC457
OC
01 19.1
58 20
The Owl or ET cluster. This a very nice, bright cluster that forms an asterism that makes a stick figure given the cluster it’s nicknames.
NGC663
OC
01 46.0
61 15
A nice cluster with around 80 stars that probably should of made Messier list.
M103
OC
01 33.2
60 42
Discovered in Mechain in 1781 is about 9,200 ly distant. Smaller cluster, not as impressive as M52.
Stock2
OC
02 15.0
59 16
A very large cluster that is near the Double Cluster, this is a nice object for binoculars and RFT.