The figure in the sky: north is up, east is to the left. Larger dots are brighter stars.

Constellation

Cassiopeia

The shape: a big W (or M).

Cassiopeia was a vain queen who boasted that she was more beautiful than the sea nymphs. As punishment she sits on her throne in the sky and hangs upside down for half the night. Her W is easy to find: on the other side of the Pole Star, opposite the Plough.

The stars of the figure

From bright to faint. Brightness is given in magnitudes (mag): the smaller the number, the brighter the star.

Schedar · 2.24 mag
Caph · 2.28 mag
Navi · 2.47 mag
Ruchbah · 2.68 mag
Segin · 3.35 mag

In the 3D model

In the 3D model, under “Explore”, the sky dome shows when the constellation Cassiopeia can be seen above Switzerland. “Constellations in 3D” shows how far apart its stars really are.

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