How to connect a constellation. The myth of the constellation Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia (lat. Cassiopeia) is a constellation in the Northern Hemisphere of the sky.

The brightest stars of Cassiopeia (from 2.2 to 3.4 magnitudes) form a figure similar to the letters “M” or “W”.
The constellation covers an area of 598.4 square degrees in the sky and contains about 150 stars visible to the naked eye; 90 of them are brighter than 6m.
Most of the constellation lies in the Milky Way band and contains many open star clusters.

The constellation Cassiopeia is almost entirely immersed in the so-called summer Milky Way, which already suggests that this constellation can be very rich in deep space objects.

That’s right, there are more than two dozen remarkable open star clusters in Cassiopeia, so the main tool for us today will be powerful astronomical binoculars, or a high-aperture refractor with an aperture of at least 100 mm and a wide field of view. The constellation Cassiopeia is non-setting throughout almost the entire territory of Russia. Only in the very south of the country does a small part of it briefly disappear behind the horizon.

The myth of the constellation Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia was the wife of King Cepheus of Ethiopia (located next to her in the form of a constellation). She once boasted that she was superior in beauty to the Nerids (50 sea nymphs created by the titan Nereus). They got angry and asked Poseidon to punish her. He could not refuse, since he was married to one of them (Amphitrite). He sent Cetus, a sea monster depicted in the constellation Cetus, who was supposed to destroy the kingdom. The king asked the oracle for help and he advised him to give Poseidon his daughter Andromeda. With great difficulty they agreed and chained her to a rock. But at the last moment she was saved by Perseus, whom she later married. However, this is not the end. One of her admirers, Phineus, showed up at the wedding and accused her of treason, since only he had the right to marry her. A battle took place in which Perseus used the head of Medusa the Gorgon. But, since many people looked at her, the king and queen also turned to stone. Poseidon sent Cassiopeia and Cepheus to heaven. But he still punished her, since for half a year the constellation remains turned upside down. Most often she is depicted sitting on a throne and combing her hair.

How to find the constellation Cassiopeia?

The constellation Cassiopeia is usually found by the asterism Tron. It is best for someone to show this Throne - it is enough to see this configuration of stars in the sky once, and it will become recognizable forever!

The constellation Cassiopeia can be found independently as follows:

If you live approximately at the latitude of Moscow, then literally from the very beginning of autumn, when you go outside at about midnight local time, you will find the Tron asterism right above your head, at the zenith. All you have to do is correctly determine the angular dimensions of the throne and mentally build its pattern according to the stars.

The largest angular distance in the Tron asterism, between Seguin and Kaf, is about 13°. The angular distance between the thumb and index finger of an adult’s outstretched hand is 16-18°, so the Throne against the background of an outstretched hand will look approximately as shown in Fig. 5.

Estimation of the angular size of the Throne asterism in the constellation Cassiopeia using an outstretched arm. This image seems to emphasize the compact arrangement of the bright stars of Cassiopeia

An all-season way to determine the location of Cassiopeia is to “target” the beam through already known stars. The best “shot” will be obtained if you continue the line from Aliot (ε UMa) beyond the North Star (α UMa) and you will get an exact hit in Gamma Cassiopeia Navi, and if you look closely you will find that the Big Dipper and the Throne of Cassiopeia asterism are located centrally symmetrically relative to the North Star.

You need to mentally draw a line through Alioth Ursa Major and the North Star - it will lead to the brightest star Cassiopeia Navi. There are other options: from any of the stars of the handle of the Big Dipper, also draw lines to Polaris, all of them will lead to Cassiopeia. In such a position as in Figure 7, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia and the Throne can be seen on a late spring evening.

If you look at the Sun from Alpha Centauri, one of the stars closest to us, it will appear in Cassiopeia and will be visible as a 0.5 magnitude star.
Stephen King's novel The Green Mile makes reference to the constellation Cassiopeia: the novel's hero, John Coffey, calls the constellation "Cassie the Lady in the Rocking Chair", which reflects an American folklore reflection of the ancient myth. The constellation Cassiopeia is also mentioned in the novel “The Langoliers”.
The constellation Cassiopeia is also mentioned in the film “Intuition” (2001), where the main character Jonathan (John Cusack) tells the myth about the constellation to a girl named Sarah (Kate Beckinsale).
The star Alpha Cassiopeia is the goal of the expedition in the Soviet science fiction film-duology “Moscow - Cassiopeia / Youths in the Universe”, released by the film studio. Gorky in 1973–1974.
Cassiopeia is the name of the official fan club of the DBSK group
Cassiopeia, in the world of Middle-earth created by the writer J. R. R. Tolkien, corresponds to the constellation Wilvarin (Butterfly).
Flammarion in his book “The Starry Sky and Its Wonders” talks about the work of a certain English writer “The Star ψ Cassiopeia, an amazing history of one of the worlds in space, a description of the peculiar nature, habits, travels and literary works of the local inhabitants.” According to the author, the manuscript of the book was discovered in an empty fireball found in the Himalayas.

W-asterism

Cassiopeia includes an asterism that forms a memorable image of the constellation - W-asterism. It consists of the brightest stars of the constellation, ε (Segin), δ (Rukbah), γ (Navi), α (Shedar) and β (Kaf), forming a figure reminiscent of the Latin letter “W”.

Shedar(Alpha Cassiopeiae) is an orange giant of spectral type K0IIIa at 228 light years. This is a suspicious variable star. The apparent value may vary depending on which photometric system is used. The range contains from 2.20 to 2.23 magnitudes. Located in the lower right corner of the W-asterism. The name Shedar is taken from the Arabic “şadr” - “chest”. It marks the star position - in the heart of Cassiopeia.

Kaf(Beta Cassiopeia) is a subgiant or giant of spectral type F2 III-IV. It is 54.5 light years away from us. This is a Delta Scuti type variable star. Only brighter in this class Altair(star in constellation Aquila and 12th in the sky). This yellow-white star is 28 times brighter than the Sun and 4 times larger. It is currently in the process of cooling and will one day become a red giant.

Delta Scuti variables exhibit brightness variations due to radial and non-radial pulsations at the surface. These are usually giants or main sequence stars of spectral types ranging from A0 to F5.

The average apparent magnitude is 2.27. From the Arabic kaf translates as “palm” (that is, the palm of the Pleiades - a famous cluster in the constellation Taurus). Other traditional names are al-Sanam al-Naqa and al-Qaff al-Khadib.

Together with the stars Alpheraz (Andromeda) and Algenib (Pegasus), Kaf was perceived as one of the Three Guides - three bright stars creating an imaginary line from Kaf to Alferaz to the celestial equator (the point where the Sun passes at the spring and autumn equinoxes).

Navi(Gamma Cassiopeia) is an eruptive variable star that serves as the prototype of the variable stars Gamma Cassiopeia. Exhibits irregular changes in brightness from magnitude 2.20 to magnitude 3.40. It is the central W-shaped star and the brightest in the constellation (now). It is a blue star (spectral type B0.5 IVe), located 610 light years away with 40,000 times the Sun's brightness and about 15 solar masses. Due to rapid rotation, it expands at the equator and creates a “maternity” disk of lost mass and material. The Chinese call it Qih - “whip”. She also has the nickname "Navi", which comes from astronaut Virgil Grissom. Navi is Ivan (in English Ivan is the middle name of an astronaut), written in reverse order. The astronauts used the star as a guide.

Ruckbach(Delta Cassiopeia) is a double star with a period of 460 days. Belongs to spectral class A5. It is 99 light years distant and has an apparent magnitude between 2.68 and 2.74. It ranks fourth in brightness in the cluster. The name comes from the Arabic word for “knee”. Sometimes she is called Xora.

Seguin(Epsilon Cassiopeiae) is a bright blue-white B-class giant 440 light years away. 2500 times brighter than the Sun with an apparent magnitude of 3.34. Age – 65 million years. The star is at the end of a hydrogen fusion cycle. It is distinguished by very weak spectral absorption of helium.

Akhird(Eta Cassiopeiae) is a yellow-white G-type hydrogen dwarf star, slightly cooler than the Sun. The surface temperature is 5730 Kelvin, and the apparent magnitude is 3.45. It is the closest star in Cassiopeia to our system (only 19.4 light years away).

Akhird has a companion, an orange K-class dwarf with an apparent magnitude of 7.51, 11 arcseconds distant. Both are classified as the variable star RS Canes Venatici. They form a close binary star and have active chromospheres that create large star spots. This results in changes in luminosity - the brightness fluctuates by 0.05 magnitude.

Zeta Cassiopeia– blue-white subgiant (B2IV) 600 light years away. Apparent visual magnitude – 3.67. It is an SPB (slow pulsating B) variable star with a magnetic field. The rotation speed is 56 km/s, and the period is 5.37 days.

Rho Cassiopeia– yellow hypergiant (a rare type, since there are only 7 of them in the Milky Way). It belongs to the spectral class G2Ia0e and is located 11,650 light years away. One of the brightest stars. Despite the distance, it can be viewed without technical equipment. 550,000 times brighter than the Sun with an absolute magnitude of 7.5. The apparent visual magnitude ranges from 4.1 to 6.2. It is a semi-regular variable with huge spikes every 50 years (causing the brightness to change). In 2000-2001, the star ejected about 10,000 Earth masses in a single outburst. Scientists believe it exploded as a supernova because it used up most of its nuclear fuel. But if this is so, then the light from the explosion has not yet reached us.

V509 Cassiopeia– G-type supergiant at 7800 light years. The yellow-white star is a semi-regular variable. Luminosity varies within 4.75-5.5.

Notable objects

Star of Tycho Brahe. In 1572, Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe noticed the sudden appearance of a bright new star in the constellation Cassiopeia, near κ Cas. The nova gradually weakened and was no longer visible after sixteen months. Today we know that it was a supernova - one of the last stellar explosions observed in the Milky Way galaxy. Located about 7,500 light-years away, the supernova remnant is nearly 20 light-years in diameter.
Cassiopeia A. This constellation contains one of the most powerful sources of galactic radio emission - Cassiopeia A (Cas A). The flux of radio waves from this region of the sky is many times more powerful than the radio emission from Tycho Brahe's star. In 1951, photographic plates sensitive to red light captured fragments of a small radio nebula associated with Cassiopeia A. Based on the rate of expansion of the nebula, it was calculated that the explosion that gave birth to it probably occurred in 1667. In the sky, this object is located between β Cassiopeia and δ Cepheus.

Other interesting objects in the constellation include:

Open star clusters M52 (NGC 7654), M103 (NGC 581), NGC 457 and NGC 7789,
Dwarf elliptical galaxies NGC 147 and NGC 185 are satellites of the Andromeda Nebula,
Diffuse nebula NGC 281
A giant sphere of gas is the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635).
Nebulae IC 1805, IC 1848 and IC 1795, which are associated with radio sources W4, W5 and W3, respectively.

Cassiopeia (lat. Cassiopeia) is a constellation in the Northern Hemisphere of the sky.

The brightest stars of Cassiopeia (from 2.2 to 3.4 magnitudes) form a figure similar to the letters “M” or “W”.
The constellation covers an area of 598.4 square degrees in the sky and contains about 150 stars visible to the naked eye; 90 of them are brighter than 6m.
Most of the constellation lies in the Milky Way band and contains many open star clusters.

The constellation Cassiopeia is almost entirely immersed in the so-called summer Milky Way, which already suggests that this constellation can be very rich in deep space objects.

The myth of the constellation Cassiopeia

How to find the constellation Cassiopeia?

The constellation Cassiopeia can be found independently as follows:

If you live approximately at the latitude of Moscow, then literally from the very beginning of autumn, when you go outside at about midnight local time, you will find the Tron asterism right above your head, at the zenith. All you have to do is correctly determine the angular dimensions of the throne and mentally build its pattern according to the stars.

An all-season way to determine the location of Cassiopeia is to “target” the beam through already known stars. The best “shot” will be obtained if you continue the line from Aliot (ε UMa) beyond the North Star (α UMa) and you will get an exact hit in Gamma Cassiopeia Navi, and if you look closely you will find that the Big Dipper and the Throne of Cassiopeia asterism are located centrally symmetrically relative to the North Star.

If you look at the Sun from Alpha Centauri, one of the stars closest to us, it will appear in Cassiopeia and will be visible as a 0.5 magnitude star.
Stephen King's novel The Green Mile makes reference to the constellation Cassiopeia: the novel's hero, John Coffey, calls the constellation "Cassie the Lady in the Rocking Chair", which reflects an American folklore reflection of the ancient myth. The constellation Cassiopeia is also mentioned in the novel “The Langoliers”.
The constellation Cassiopeia is also mentioned in the film “Intuition” (2001), where the main character Jonathan (John Cusack) tells the myth about the constellation to a girl named Sarah (Kate Beckinsale).
The star Alpha Cassiopeia is the goal of the expedition in the Soviet science fiction film-duology “Moscow - Cassiopeia / Youths in the Universe”, released by the film studio. Gorky in 1973–1974.
Cassiopeia is the name of the official fan club of the DBSK group
Cassiopeia, in the world of Middle-earth created by the writer J. R. R. Tolkien, corresponds to the constellation Wilvarin (Butterfly).
Flammarion in his book “The Starry Sky and Its Wonders” talks about the work of a certain English writer “The Star ψ Cassiopeia, an amazing history of one of the worlds in space, a description of the peculiar nature, habits, travels and literary works of the local inhabitants.” According to the author, the manuscript of the book was discovered in an empty fireball found in the Himalayas.

W-asterism

Delta Scuti variables exhibit brightness variations due to radial and non-radial pulsations at the surface. These are usually giants or main sequence stars of spectral types ranging from A0 to F5.

V509 Cassiopeia– G-type supergiant at 7800 light years. The yellow-white star is a semi-regular variable. Luminosity varies within 4.75-5.5.

Notable objects

Star of Tycho Brahe. In 1572, Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe noticed the sudden appearance of a bright new star in the constellation Cassiopeia, near κ Cas. The nova gradually weakened and was no longer visible after sixteen months. Today we know that it was a supernova - one of the last stellar explosions observed in the Milky Way galaxy. Located about 7,500 light-years away, the supernova remnant is nearly 20 light-years in diameter.
Cassiopeia A. This constellation contains one of the most powerful sources of galactic radio emission - Cassiopeia A (Cas A). The flux of radio waves from this region of the sky is many times more powerful than the radio emission from Tycho Brahe's star. In 1951, photographic plates sensitive to red light captured fragments of a small radio nebula associated with Cassiopeia A. Based on the rate of expansion of the nebula, it was calculated that the explosion that gave birth to it probably occurred in 1667. In the sky, this object is located between β Cassiopeia and δ Cepheus.

Other interesting objects in the constellation include:

Open star clusters M52 (NGC 7654), M103 (NGC 581), NGC 457 and NGC 7789,
Dwarf elliptical galaxies NGC 147 and NGC 185 are satellites of the Andromeda Nebula,
Diffuse nebula NGC 281
A giant sphere of gas is the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635).
Nebulae IC 1805, IC 1848 and IC 1795, which are associated with radio sources W4, W5 and W3, respectively.

Cassiope? I (lat. Cassiopeia - constellation of the northern hemisphere of the sky. The brightest stars of Cassiopeia (from 2.2 to 3.4 magnitudes) form a figure similar to the letters "M" or "W". The constellation occupies an area of 598.4 square in the sky degrees and contains about 150 stars visible to the naked eye, of which 90 stars are brighter than 6m.Most of the constellation lies in the Milky Way band and contains many open star clusters.

The constellation Cassiopeia is non-setting throughout almost the entire territory of Russia. Only in the very south of the country does a small part of it briefly disappear behind the horizon.

Notable objects.

Star quietly Brahe. In 1572, the Danish astronomer Quietly Brahe noticed the sudden appearance of a bright new star in the constellation Cassiopeia, not far from? Cas. The nova gradually weakened and was no longer visible after sixteen months. Today we know that it was a supernova - one of the last stellar explosions observed in the Milky Way galaxy. Located about 7,500 light-years away, the supernova remnant is nearly 20 light-years in diameter.
Cassiopeia a. In this constellation, one of the most powerful sources of galactic radio emission is located - Cassiopeia A (Cas A. The flow of radio waves from this area of the sky is many times more powerful than the radio emission of the star Tycho Brahe. In 1951, fragments of a small radio nebula were recorded on photographic plates sensitive to red light, associated with “Cassiopeia - A.” Based on the rate of expansion of the nebula, it was calculated that the explosion that gave birth to it supposedly occurred in 1667. In the sky, this object is located between Cassiopeia and Cepheus.

Star forming region W5 in the constellation Cassiopeia. Infrared photograph taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope.
Other interesting objects in the constellation include:

Open star clusters M52 (NGC 7654), M103 (NGC 581), NGC 457 and NGC 7789, dwarf elliptical galaxies NGC 147 and NGC 185 - satellites of the Andromeda nebula, diffuse nebula NGC 281.
Giant gas sphere - bubble nebula (NGC 7635.
Nebulae IC 1805, IC 1848 and IC 1795, which are associated with radio sources W4, W5 and W3, respectively.

Ancient constellation. Included in the catalog of the starry sky of Claudius Ptolemy "Almagest".

Named after Cassiopeia - in Greek mythology, the wife of the Ethiopian king Kepheus and the mother of Andromeda. According to one version of the myth, Cassiopeia, for her boasting, was tied to a chair, sitting on which she was doomed to circle around the North Pole, turning upside down.

In some Arabic manuscripts the constellation is called "Seated Woman".

The Arabs saw the arrangement of the stars as a hand pointing a finger at the stars located in front.

Search in the sky.

The best conditions for observing Cassiopeia are in September - November. Visible throughout Russia all year round. Only if through? Draw a straight line between Ursa Major and the North Star; it will point to the constellation Cassiopeia.

Ursa Major and Cassiopeia are non-setting constellations for mid-latitudes, but are located on opposite sides (almost diametrically opposite) of the polar star. When the first one drops low above the horizon (in autumn - winter evening), Cassiopeia rises almost to the zenith, and vice versa.

Interesting Facts.

Only if you look at the sun from Alpha Centauri, one of the stars closest to us, will it appear in Cassiopeia and will be visible as a star of magnitude 0.5. Cassiopeia in this case will have the shape /\\/\\/, with the sun not far from? Cassiopeia.
In Stephen King's novel The Green Mile, the constellation Cassiopeia is mentioned: the hero of the novel, John Coffey, calls the constellation "Cassie - the lady in the rocking chair", which reflects the American folklore reflection of the ancient myth. The constellation Cassiopeia is also mentioned in the novel "The Langoliers".
The constellation Cassiopeia is also mentioned in the film “Intuition” (2001), where the main character Jonathan (John Cusack) tells the myth about the constellation to a girl named Sarah (Kate Beckinsale.
The star Alpha Cassiopeia is the goal of the expedition in the Soviet science fiction film - the dilogy "Moscow - Cassiopeia / Youths in the Universe", released by the film studio. Gorky in 1973-1974.
Cassiopeia is the name of the official fan club of the Dbsk group.
Cassiopeia in the world of Middle-earth, created by the writer J. R. R. Tolkien, corresponds to the constellation wilvarin (butterfly) see Stars of Middle-earth.
Flammarion in his book “The Starry Sky and Its Wonders” talks about the work of a certain English writer “the star? Cassiopeia, an amazing history of one of the worlds in space, a description of the peculiar nature, habits, travels and literary works of the local inhabitants.” According to the author, the manuscript of the book was discovered in an empty fireball found in the Himalayas.

Detailed solution part 1 (page) Page. 31 on the surrounding world workbook for 2nd grade students, authors A.A. Pleshakov 2016

Gdz on the World around you for grade 2 can be found
Gdz tests on the world around us for grade 2 can be found
Gdz control and measuring materials on the surrounding world for grade 2 can be found

1. (p. 31) These drawings from an old star atlas depict the constellations that you met in class. Identify and label them using the textbook.

Cassiopeia, Cygnus, Orion.

2. (p. 31) Using the textbook’s drawings, connect the dots so that you get diagrams of the constellations Cassiopeia, Cygnus, Orion.

3. (p. 31) Using the textbook, number on p. 32 constellations of the zodiac in the order of their “visitation” by the Sun. Start with the constellation Aries.

4. (p. 32) Using the atlas-identifier “From Earth to Sky,” find out the names of two bright stars in the constellation Orion. On the model of the constellation, made according to the textbook model, label them. Find information about these stars in the identification atlas. Try to see them in the night sky.

The two brightest stars in the constellation Orion are Rigel and Betelgeuse. Their scientific designations are Beta and Alpha Orionis, respectively. Both giants, as already mentioned, are clearly visible from Earth. We can say that they are vying for the title of the first star in this celestial pattern. Betelgeuse is designated Alpha, but Rigel is slightly brighter.

> Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia is a constellation in the northern hemisphere first mapped by the astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. The constellation was named after Queen Cassiopeia of the mythical kingdom of Ethiopia.

In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia offended the Nereids (sea nymphs) by boasting that she was more beautiful than them. As punishment for her vanity, she had to sacrifice her daughter Andromeda to appease the sea monster Cetus, sent by Poseidon. He ordered her to be placed forever in the sky at the celestial pole, upside down, as an additional punishment. The constellation is fairly easy to spot in the sky, as the five bright stars form a distinctive "W" shape.

How to determine the location of the constellation Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia
Lat. Name	Cassiopeia (genus Cassiopeiae)
Reduction	Cas
Symbol	Queen on the throne
Right ascension	from 22 h 52 m to 3 h 25 m
Declension	from +46° to +77°
Square	598 sq. degrees (25th place)
Brightest stars (value m)	Shedar (α Cas) - 2.24 m Cafe (β Cas) - 2.27 m Navi (γ Cas) - variable, 2.47 m Rukba (δ Cas) - 2.68 m
Meteor showers	No
Neighboring constellations	Giraffe Cepheus Lizard Andromeda Perseus
The constellation is visible at latitudes from +90° to -13°. The best time for observation is September-November.

The most prominent stars and celestial objects in the constellation Cassiopeia

Beta Cassiopeia or Kaph ("palm tree") is a yellow-white giant with a magnitude of 2.28 and is classified as a Delta Scuti variable star. It is twice the size of the Sun and 28 times brighter.

Alpha Cassiopeia, Shedir or Shedar ("chest") has an apparent magnitude of 2.25 and is the second brightest star in the constellation. This orange giant is more than 500 times brighter than the Sun.

Gamma Cassiopeia is the central star of the constellation. This is a variable star. It does not have a traditional Latin or Arabic name, but the Chinese call it Tsih ("whip"). At maximum intensity (currently apparent magnitude 2.15), the star eclipses both Alpha and Beta Cassiopeiae. Gamma Cassiopeia rotates very quickly and is wider along the equator, which causes it to lose mass.

Delta Cassiopeia, also known as Ksora or Ruchbah ("knee"), is a double star located about 99 light-years away. It has an apparent apparent magnitude that varies between 2.68 and 2.71.

Cassiopeia

Epsilon Cassiopeia, also called Segin, is a blue-white giant located about 442 light-years from Earth. Its luminosity is 720 times greater than that of the Sun.

The constellation Rho Cassiopeiae and V509 Cassiopeiae are the brightest stars visible to the naked eye in the galaxy. Eta Cassiopeiae is a double star consisting of a yellow dwarf similar to our Sun and an orange dwarf.

Cassiopeia also has two notable objects from the Messier catalogue. Both star clusters, or NGC 7654, were discovered by Charles Messier in 1774 and can be seen with binoculars.

Messier 103 or NGC 581 was the last Messier object to be cataloged by Charles Messier himself. Located 8,000 light-years from Earth, it is one of the most distant clusters to be catalogued. It contains 40 to 50 stars, the brightest of which is Struve 131 or HD 9311.

Tycho's Star, or CN 1572, was observed as a supernova in 1572 and documented by astronomer Tycho Brahe. A star named Tycho G is being studied as a possible companion to the star that created the supernova. Another supernova remnant in the constellation Cassiopeia is the strongest source of radio emission outside the solar system that can be observed. The cloud of material left over from the supernova is now about 10 light-years across.

Finally, the constellation Cassiopeia contains an irregular galaxy, IC 10, first discovered by Lewis Swift in 1887. It is difficult to study because it is located close to the Milky Way and hidden behind interstellar space. However, IC 10 is known to be the only star-forming galaxy in the Local Group.

The constellation Cassiopeia can be found independently as follows:

If you live approximately at the latitude of Moscow, then literally from the very beginning of autumn, when you go outside at about midnight local time, you will find the Tron asterism right above your head, at the zenith. All you have to do is correctly determine the angular dimensions of the throne and mentally build its pattern according to the stars.

An all-season way to determine the location of Cassiopeia is to “target” the beam through already known stars. The best “shot” will be obtained if you continue the line from Aliot (ε UMa) beyond the North Star (α UMa) and you will get an exact hit in Gamma Cassiopeia Navi, and if you look closely you will find that the Big Dipper and the Throne of Cassiopeia asterism are located centrally symmetrically relative to the North Star.

This diagram shows the main stars of the constellation Cassiopeia.

There are only five main stars in Cassiopeia, they are quite bright, located in the form of a clearly distinguishable figure and have their own names: Shedar - alpha CassiopeiaKaf - betta CassiopeiaNavi - gamma CassiopeiaRukbach - delta CassiopeiaSegin - epsilon Cassiopeia

The remaining stars are much fainter and are usually not united by conventional lines, but the brightest of them are visible to the naked eye and are designated by letters of the Greek alphabet.
The light nebula in the background of the diagram is the Milky Way.
By the way, the Milky Way is usually not visible near cities, but having found the constellation Cassiopeia, you can guess where it approximately passes and try to see it.

Constellation Andromeda. Legend and history

As legends say, Andromeda is the daughter of the king of Ethiopia Cepheus and Cassiopeia, who was saved by Perseus from a sea monster. Andromeda was chained to a cliff and left to the mercy of this monster. Perseus saw Andromeda and was stunned by her beauty. He put forward a condition to the king: if she agrees to marry him, Perseus will kill the monster. King Cepheus accepted the offer and Perseus struck the sea monster without any difficulty. Afterwards, according to the legends, Andromeda gave birth to Perseus several children.

The first documented information about the constellation Andromeda dates back to the 2nd century AD, when the Greek astronomer Ptolemy included it in his Almagest catalog under that name.

Constellation Cygnus. The legend of the constellation Cygnus

Cygnus (from the Latin Swan) is one of the most famous constellations of the northern hemisphere. The swan was first recorded by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. The constellation looks like a long-necked bird with widely spread wings.

The constellation Cygnus is associated with several different myths. Orpheus, a musician and poet, was transformed into a swan after being killed by the maenads and placed in the sky next to Lyra, represented by the constellation Lyra. In another story, Zeus transformed himself into a swan to seduce Leda, the wife of the king of Sparta, Tyndareus, who subsequently gave birth to Castor, Pollux, Clytemnestra and Helen of Troy.

The Chinese called the constellation “Forty Bridge” because, once a year, it connects the constellations of lovers called “The Shepherd” and “The Weaver”. According to legend, the Goddess of the Sky found out that the two lovers were married and separated them, since the “Weaver”, being a fairy, cannot be with a mortal. Afterwards, her husband took his two children and went to heaven to be reunited with his wife, but the goddess did not allow this. She created a wide river in the sky with her hairpin to keep them apart. The river represents the Milky Way, between Altair and Vega. History says that once a year, all the magpies in the world line up in a sky bridge so that lovers can meet each other, at least occasionally.

Constellation Cassiopeia

The constellation Cassiopeia is almost entirely immersed in the so-called. the summer Milky Way, which already suggests that this constellation can be very rich in deep space objects. That’s right, there are more than two dozen remarkable open star clusters in Cassiopeia, so the main tool for us today will be powerful astronomical binoculars, or a high-aperture refractor with an aperture of at least 100 mm and a wide field of view.

Sharpless 2-188 nebula, reminiscent of the Mozilla Firefox browser logo

Almost all of these objects can be observed even with the most ordinary 7x35 field binoculars. Having jogged through the area of the sky that is occupied by the “W” asterism, many of these clusters will certainly appear one after another in the field of view of the binocular. Some of them immediately clearly catch the eye, while others, on the contrary, due to the small number of stars, are not found in them the first time, even with a map. It is curious that Charles Messier, among such an abundance of objects, included only two in his catalogue. Now they are listed there under the numbers M52 and M103. We will dwell on them in more detail.

Diagram of the constellation Orion by points. Myths and legends

Orion is a constellation with which many stories, myths and legends are associated. Each nation interpreted the appearance of this constellation in the sky in its own way, therefore the names in all parts of the world where it could be seen were different. The Greeks associated it with the gods, in Egypt this constellation was called the King of the Stars, in Armenia it is named after the great man - the patriarch-ancestor of the Armenians Hayk. Many peoples did not connect all the stars of Orion into one scheme, but named only his belt as Three Sisters, Three Women, Three Men, Three Plows and so on.

But not only in ancient times, different stories were associated with this constellation. Many modern people expect the arrival of extraterrestrial civilizations precisely from Orion’s belt. This is due, in part, to the fact that some of its stars surpass the Sun itself in size and luminosity. Look at the constellation Orion. Photos from different angles can be seen in this article. Perhaps you too will get the impression that there are other civilizations out there somewhere.

starry sky

Even in ancient times, people began to study the mysterious and beautiful starry sky. They saw groups of stars on it, which they called constellations. The constellations reminded people of various objects, animals, and mythical heroes, which is why they got their names.

These drawings from an old star atlas depict the constellations that you met in class. Identify and label their names using the textbook.

Using the textbook's drawings, connect the dots so that you get diagrams of the constellations Cassiopeia, Cygnus, and Orion.

If the stars were visible during the day, we would notice that the Sun visits different constellations throughout the year. The sun “stays” with each constellation for about one month.

Zodiac is a belt of constellations along which the Sun moves throughout the year.

Number the constellations of the zodiac in the order of their “visitation” by the Sun. Start with the constellation Aries.

Using the atlas-determinant "From Earth to Sky" find out the names of two bright stars in the constellation Orion. On the model of the constellation, made according to the instructions of the textbook, label them. Find information about these stars in the atlas-identifier. Try to see them in the evening sky.

Two bright stars in the constellation Orion - Betelgeuse, Rigel.

Betelgeuse- at the top left of the constellation Orion, a reddish star is burning (its name translates as “the giant’s armpit”). Interestingly, this star is almost 400 times larger in diameter than the Sun.

Rigel- at the bottom right of the constellation Orion this star shines (its name translates as “leg”). It is the brightest in the entire constellation.

Constellation Cassiopeia (Cas)

Prepared by: website
10-10-2013

Perhaps the circumpolar constellation second in its recognition after the “bucket” of Ursa Major is Cassiopeia, the stars of which form a figure similar to the Latin letter "W". But if we take into account the fourth magnitude star κ Cassiopeia, the figure of the constellation also becomes like... a small ladle!

The constellation is named after Cassiopeia - in Greek mythology, the wife of the Ethiopian king Kepheus (Cepheus) and the mother of Andromeda. According to one version of the myth, Cassiopeia, for her boasting, was tied to a chair, sitting on which she was doomed to circle around the North Pole of the celestial sphere, turning upside down.

The constellation Cassiopeia is one of the 48 constellations mentioned by Ptolemy in his catalog of the starry sky, and is therefore one of the oldest constellations in the starry sky. The main asterism of Cassiopeia is formed by 5 stars of the 2nd and 3rd magnitude, forming a “W”-shaped figure of the constellation. Due to their brightness, they are clearly visible in the sky even in urban light conditions.

In the sky, the constellation Cassiopeia borders on constellations such as Cepheus, Giraffe, Lizard, Andromeda, Perseus and is accessible for observation in the latitude range from +90° N. to -20° S On the territory of Russia there is non-setting constellation.

A simple way to find Cassiopeia in the sky

Before we move on to describing the attractions of this constellation, we will help novice astronomy lovers find it in the sky. To do this, we will first find the “bucket” of the Big Dipper, then the North Star. Now let’s draw a mental straight line from the star Alioth (ε Ursa Major) through the Polar Star further to the same angular segment (see figure above). Here we can easily find the characteristic “W”-shaped figure of the constellation Cassiopeia.

Cassiopeia on a modern star map

Let's get to know the main stars of this constellation. Let's start with the star β Cassiopeia, which is called Kaph. The name of the star, apparently, comes from the letter of the Arabic alphabet “Kaf”, since its outline is very similar to the figure of this constellation. Kaf is a yellow giant of spectral class F. The star's magnitude is +2.28 stars. led However, it is not constant and varies from +2.25 to +2.31 stars. led with a period of 2.5 hours. Before us is a variable star of the δ Scuti type.

Now let's move on to the star α Cassiopeia, called Shedar. Being 230 light years away from Earth, this star, an orange giant, is visible as a star of +2.23 stars. Vel., while the luminosity of Shedar is 500 times greater than the luminosity of our Sun!

At one time, the star Shedar was also considered variable, but since the 19th century there have been no signs of its variability.

Those with small telescopes will be interested in looking at the star η Cassiopeiae, a beautiful double star located 19.4 light-years away. Primary yellow star +3.34 mag. led almost the same spectral class as our Sun, so observing it even with the naked eye, you can imagine what our Sun looks like from a distance of 19 light years. Near the main yellow star at an angular distance of 13" the second component of this binary system is noticeable - a cooler orange star +7.51 mag.

Next, we will get acquainted with the star γ Cassiopeia, which is called Navi (Navi, from English navigation - navigation). This name was given to the star by American astronaut Gus Grissom, because γ Cassiopeiae has been a navigation star in a number of space missions. And, thanks to its physical characteristics, this star is of undoubted interest. So, in 1937 its brightness was equal to +2.2 mag. However, by 1940 it had weakened to +3.4 magnitude. led In 1949, γ Cassiopeia increased in brightness to +2.9 stars. vel., and by 1965 it became even brighter (+2.7 mag. mag.). Today the brightness of this star is +2.15 stars. led and it is the brightest star in the constellation. The reason for the instability of the brightness is the very rapid rotation of this star around its axis, as a result of which it is strongly flattened at the poles. Given the star's high luminosity, γ Cassiopeiae loses stellar matter accumulating in its equatorial zone, which forms a disk around it, which apparently influences changes in the apparent brightness of the star.

Let us also add that γ Cassiopeia is a spectral double star with a period of rotation of the components around the common center of gravity equal to 204 days. The estimated mass of the satellite roughly corresponds to our Sun.

Now let's turn our attention to the next star of the "zigzag" of Cassiopeia - Rukba (δ Cassiopeia), which in Arabic means "knee". Rukba is an eclipsing variable star with a period of 759 days. The visible brightness of the star varies within insignificant and imperceptible limits for the human eye - from +2.68 to +2.74 stars. led Rukba is 99 light years away from Earth.

The last star of the "W"-shaped constellation is the star ε. It also has a name - Seguin. The star Seguin is 441 light years away from us and in our sky its brightness is +3.38 stars. led Before us is a blue-white giant with a luminosity that is 720 times greater than the luminosity of the Sun!

Now that we have become acquainted with the main stars of the constellation, let's move on to other objects that attract the attention of astronomy lovers. First of all, I would like to draw attention to another variable star in this constellation, designated by the Greek letter ρ. On dark nights, it can easily be found with the naked eye south of the star Kaph (β Cassiopeia) as a star of approximately +4.5 stars. led What is interesting about this star? Despite its ordinary brilliance in the earth's sky, in front of us is a real yellow hypergiant, it is distant from us at a distance estimated at 11,700 - 15,300 light years. ρ Cassiopeia exceeds the Sun in radius by 400 - 500 times, and in luminosity by about 500,000 times!

Animation of the processes occurring with ρ Cassiopeia

P Cassiopeia belongs to the so-called semi-regular variable stars and its brightness varies between +4.4 and +5.1 stars. Vel., but in 1946 it weakened to +6 stars Vel. The interval between individual brightness maxima is about 100 days, but no clear periodicity of fluctuations in the star’s brightness has been recorded. Near the maximum, Cassiopeia's ρ spectrum corresponds to class F8, while it appears to be a reddish star, which is not typical for this spectral class. Sometimes (during brightness fluctuations) the spectral class of a star changes from F8 to K5, and in the mentioned 1946 it even became M5, which corresponds to red stars (by the way, ρ Cassiopeia seems to many observers to be a red star). In any case, this star should be taken under observation and its brightness determined from night to night, since unexpected changes are always possible, including a weakening to 6 stars. led And such observations, undoubtedly, can also have scientific value.

Search map of ρ Cassiopeia and comparison stars

Now information for those who are armed with binoculars or a telescope and are ready to take a walk through the brightest star clusters of the constellation. Let's start with the open star cluster M52 (NGC 7654), located west of the star β Cassiopeia. To search for this object, let’s arm ourselves with binoculars and draw a mental straight line from the star α Cassiopeia through the star β Cassiopeia further to approximately the same angular distance. Here, against the backdrop of scattered stars of the Milky Way, this small open star cluster is located, consisting of two yellowish stars +7.77 and +8.22 stars. Vel., as well as stars of the 11th magnitude. In binoculars, M52 will appear more like a small, hazy speck, but with telescopes with an objective lens of at least 100mm in diameter, individual faint stars in this open star cluster can be seen in a "V" shape.

Another open star cluster in the constellation Cassiopeia visible through binoculars is M103, located near the star δ Cassiopeia. M103 is easy to find with binoculars and is visible as a compact, glowing, hazy speck. It is worth noting that it is better to get acquainted with M103 using binoculars, since due to the small number of stars included in the cluster, when observed through a telescope, it “dissolves” against the background of the surrounding stellar scatterings. But the telescope will help you see the faint stars of this cluster, which is 8,000 light years away from us.

There are other open star clusters in the constellation Cassiopeia, such as NGC 659, NGC 663, NGC 654, as well as NGC 457, which is more than 9,000 light years away and includes about a hundred stars. The star φ Cassiopeiae is visible against the background of this cluster, but it has nothing to do with NGC 457.

In urban light conditions, in which observing deep space objects becomes difficult, we can recommend observing the Queen’s Kite asterism, which is clearly visible through binoculars. The asterism is located slightly east of the star δ Cassiopeiae, and the brightest star of this asterism is the star χ Cassiopeiae (magnitude +4.7 mag.). The brilliance of the remaining stars included in the asterism is 6–7 stars. size. And in its shape, the asterism is similar to a paper kite. And the larger the diameter of the lens of your optical instrument and the darker the sky, the more scatterings of stars you can see in this corner of the starry sky.

Search map of the Queen’s Kite asterism

Of course, the story about Cassiopeia cannot be completed without mentioning the supernova, which was observed by the famous astronomer Tycho Brahe in 1572. This supernova is one of 8 supernovae for which historical information has been preserved. So, it was November 1572... “One evening,” writes Tycho Brahe, “when I, as usual, was examining the sky, the appearance of which was well known to me, I, to my indescribable surprise, saw near the zenith in Cassiopeia an extraordinary bright star magnitude.Struck by the discovery, I did not know whether to believe my own eyes.

The new star did not have a tail, it was not surrounded by any nebula, it was in all respects similar to other stars of the first magnitude... In terms of its brilliance, it could only be compared with Venus, when the latter is at its closest distance from the Earth. People gifted with good eyesight could discern this star in a clear sky during the day, even at noon. At night, with a cloudy sky, when other stars were hidden, the new star remained visible through fairly thick clouds.

Starting from December 1572, its shine began to decrease... Transition from 5 stars. led to 6m star led occurred between December 1573 and February 1574. The following month the new star disappeared, having shone for seventeen months and leaving no trace visible to the naked eye."

In 1952, at the site of the explosion of this supernova, astronomers found a source of radio emission, and 8 years later its remnant was found in the optical range.

Cassiopeia in the northeastern sky at midnight on July 10, 2005.

When preparing the material, the following sources were used: wikipedia website, book by F.Yu. Siegel "Treasures of the Starry Sky".