Constellation
Cassiopeia
Look for five stars in a zigzag. As the sky turns, the familiar W can look like an M or sit on its side.
Preview: Barcelona · 12 Nov · 22:00. Change your location in Sky Timeline.
Greek mythology · one version
The queen on her throne
Queen Cassiopeia boasts that her family is more beautiful than the sea nymphs, bringing danger to her daughter Andromeda. One version pictures her bound to a throne in the sky, turning upside down as her stars circle the celestial pole.
The five-star zigzag is a simplified outline of the seated queen and her throne; its W shape turns with the sky.
People around the world have given these stars different figures and stories. This is one interpretation. Lines are recognition aids, rather than official constellation boundaries.
NASA Chandra · Cassiopeia ↗Finding Cassiopeia
Above the horizon. Clear skies and a dark enough view are still needed. The figure’s centre is toward the north in this preview.
Use the bright reference stars below to recognise the shape. A complete drawing can extend outside the current camera window, even when its stars are above the horizon. Open its guide in Sky Timeline to compare the stars with an illustrated interpretation where available.
Bright reference stars
- Schedar
- Magnitude 2.2
- Caph
- Magnitude 2.3
Lower magnitude numbers mean brighter stars. Clouds, nearby lighting and moonlight change what your eyes can pick out.
Explore another night
Visibility changes with place, season and time. Move through the night to see the object rise, cross the sky and set, while weather remains a separate estimate.
Open this sky → · Calculations and limitations