Isabella Carter
The Cassiopeia constellation is named after Cassiopeia, the vain and boastful queen in Greek mythology. Cassiopeia was the wife of King Cepheus of Aethiopia and the mother of Princess Andromeda. Cassiopeia is located in the northern sky and can be seen year-round from latitudes above 34°N. It is easily recognizable due to its distinctive 'W' shape, formed by five bright stars. Cassiopeia was placed in the sky as punishment for her claim that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids, or that she herself was more beautiful than the sea nymphs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Constellation named after | Cassiopeia, the vain queen of Aethiopia in Greek mythology |
| Cassiopeia's family | Wife of King Cepheus of Aethiopia and mother of Princess Andromeda |
| Cassiopeia's punishment | Forced to wheel around the north celestial pole on her throne for her boastful claim |
| Constellation shape | W, formed by five bright stars |
| Constellation ranking | 25th of the 88 constellations in area |
| Constellation abbreviation | Cas |
| Constellation location | Northern sky, first quadrant of the northern hemisphere (NQ1) |
| Constellation size | 598.4 square degrees (some sources mention 598 or 600 square degrees) |
| Brightest star | Schedar (Alpha Cassiopeiae), magnitude 2.2 or 2.240 |
| Nearest star | Achird (Eta Cassiopeiae), 19.32 light-years away |
| Number of stars with known planets | 14 |
| Number of named stars | 8 |
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What You'll Learn
Cassiopeia, the vain queen in Greek mythology
Cassiopeia's origins are obscure. According to Nonnus, she was a nymph, while Stephanus claims she was called Iope, the daughter of Aeolus, after whom the town of Joppa (now part of Tel Aviv) was named.
Cassiopeia's vanity and pride led her to boast that she or her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than all the Nereids, the nymph-daughters of the sea god Nereus. This enraged Poseidon, the ruling god of the sea, who decided to punish the kingdom of Aethiopia. Accounts differ on the exact nature of the punishment; some say Poseidon decided to flood the entire country, while others claim he directed the sea monster Cetus to destroy it.
As a result of her vanity, Cassiopeia was forced to wheel around the north celestial pole on her throne, spending half of her time clinging to it so as not to fall off. This indignity was interpreted by mythologists as part of her punishment from the gods, who made her a figure of fun. Germanicus Caesar described her as:
> 'Her face contorted in agony, she stretches out her hands as if bewailing abandoned Andromeda, unjustly atoning for the sin of her mother.'
Cassiopeia was placed in the sky as a constellation by Poseidon, along with her husband Cepheus and daughter Andromeda. The constellation Cassiopeia, located in the northern sky, was first cataloged by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations today. It is easily recognizable due to its distinctive 'W' shape, formed by its five brightest stars.
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Cassiopeia's punishment for her arrogance
The constellation Cassiopeia is named after Cassiopeia, the vain and arrogant queen of Aethiopia in Greek mythology. Cassiopeia's punishment for her arrogance was severe and humiliating. Poseidon, the ruling god of the sea, was enraged by Cassiopeia's boast that she or her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than all the Nereids, the nymph daughters of the sea god Nereus. As a result, Poseidon decreed that Andromeda should be bound to a rock as prey for the monster Cetus. Cassiopeia was forced to wheel around the north celestial pole on her throne, spending half of her time clinging to it to avoid falling off. This indignity was interpreted by mythologists as part of her punishment, making her a figure of fun.
Cassiopeia's punishment also served as a warning to others. The oracle told King Cepheus, Cassiopeia's husband, that sacrificing their daughter Andromeda was necessary to appease Poseidon. Reluctantly, the king and queen did so, leaving Andromeda chained to a rock for the monster. Fortunately, Andromeda was rescued by the Greek hero Perseus, whom she later married. However, Cassiopeia's arrogance had already brought tragedy to her kingdom.
Cassiopeia's portrayal in the constellations reflects her punishment. She is depicted sitting on her throne, circling the celestial pole, sometimes upright and sometimes hanging upside down, appearing to be in danger of falling. This celestial "fairground ride" underscores the humiliation and suffering inflicted upon Cassiopeia for her arrogance.
The constellation Cassiopeia, also known as the ""W" constellation, can be found in the northern sky and is visible year-round from latitudes above 34°N. It is the 25th largest constellation, covering an area of approximately 598 to 600 square degrees. Cassiopeia contains some of the most luminous stars known, including the bright star Schedar (Alpha Cassiopeiae), as well as the yellow hypergiants Rho Cassiopeiae and V509 Cassiopeiae.
The constellation has been recognised by various cultures throughout history. The people of the Marshall Islands saw Cassiopeia as part of a great porpoise constellation, while in Hawaii, specific stars within the constellation were named: Poloahilani (Alpha Cassiopeiae), Polula (Beta Cassiopeiae), and Mulehu (Gamma Cassiopeiae).
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Cassiopeia's daughter Andromeda
The constellation Cassiopeia is named after the vain queen Cassiopeia, a figure in Greek mythology and the mother of Andromeda. Cassiopeia was the wife of King Cepheus of Aethiopia (or Ethiopia).
Cassiopeia's daughter, Andromeda, was a princess. In Greek mythology, Andromeda was sacrificed to a sea monster by her parents as punishment for Cassiopeia's boast that she herself, or her daughter Andromeda, was more beautiful than the Nereids, or sea nymphs. Andromeda was chained to a rock by the sea to await her death.
Andromeda was rescued by the Greek hero Perseus, who was flying near the coast of Aethiopia on his winged sandals or riding Pegasus, the winged horse. He had just slain Medusa and was carrying her severed head, which turned anyone who looked at it to stone. Perseus fell in love with Andromeda and secured her hand in marriage from her father, on the condition that he save her. After killing the sea monster with Medusa's head, Perseus and Andromeda were married.
Andromeda has been a popular subject in art since classical antiquity, and her story is considered the forerunner to the "princess and dragon" motif. The 1981 film Clash of the Titans is loosely based on the story of Perseus, Andromeda, and Cassiopeia.
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Cassiopeia's constellation neighbours
The Cassiopeia constellation is bordered by several other constellations. To its north and west is Cepheus, the constellation named after Cassiopeia's husband, King Cepheus of Aethiopia. To its south and west is Andromeda, named after Cassiopeia's daughter, Princess Andromeda. Andromeda's husband, Perseus, is also the name of the constellation to the southeast of Cassiopeia. To the east of Cassiopeia is Camelopardalis, and it also shares a short border with Lacerta to the west.
The Cassiopeia constellation has been interpreted differently by various cultures. In some Arabic atlases, a figure called the "Tinted Hand" appears in the stars of Cassiopeia. This is said to represent a woman's hand dyed red with henna or the bloodied hand of Muhammad's daughter Fatima. The stars of Cassiopeia also form the head and hump of a camel in another Arabic constellation. The Sámi people see the Cassiopeia's "W" as an elk antler, while the Chukchi of Siberia interpret the five main stars as five reindeer stags. In Chinese astronomy, the stars of Cassiopeia are spread across three areas: the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, the Black Tortoise of the North, and the White Tiger of the West.
In the 17th century, Biblical figures such as Bathsheba, Solomon's mother; Deborah, an Old Testament prophet; and Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus, were depicted in the stars of Cassiopeia.
The constellation is named after the vain Queen Cassiopeia in Greek mythology, who boasted about her unmatched beauty. Cassiopeia was the wife of King Cepheus and mother of Princess Andromeda. Cassiopeia's claim enraged the Nereids, the 50 sea nymphs fathered by the Titan Nereus. They appealed to their king, Poseidon, to punish Cassiopeia for her boastfulness. Poseidon, who was married to one of the nymphs, Amphitrite, sent a sea monster called Cetus to ravage the coast of Cepheus' kingdom. As a result, Cepheus and Cassiopeia were forced to sacrifice their daughter to the sea monster. However, Andromeda was rescued by the Greek hero Perseus, whom she later married. As punishment for her vanity, Poseidon decreed that Cassiopeia be placed in the sky, wheeling around the north celestial pole on her throne.
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Cassiopeia's brightest star
The constellation Cassiopeia is named after Cassiopeia, a figure in Greek mythology who was the vain and arrogant queen of Aethiopia, wife of King Cepheus, and mother of Princess Andromeda. Cassiopeia's boast that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids—the nymph-daughters of the sea god Nereus—enraged Poseidon, the ruling god of the sea, who cursed the kingdom of Aethiopia.
Cassiopeia is a large constellation located in the northern sky. Nicknamed the "W constellation", it is easily recognisable for the prominent "W" asterism formed by its five brightest stars. The constellation was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE. Cassiopeia contains many notable deep-sky objects, including the open clusters Messier 52 and Messier 103, the Bubble Nebula, the Heart Nebula, and the Soul Nebula. It is the 25th largest constellation in the night sky, occupying an area of 598 square degrees.
Schedar is located at the bottom-right tip of the "W" asterism (or the upper-left tip of the "M" asterism, depending on the constellation's position in the sky and the observer's perspective). It is used by stargazers to locate the Andromeda galaxy. The star's name, Schedar, derives from the Arabic word for "breast".
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Frequently asked questions
The constellation Cassiopeia was named after Cassiopeia, the vain queen of Aethiopia in Greek mythology.
Cassiopeia was the wife of King Cepheus of Aethiopia and the mother of Princess Andromeda.
Cassiopeia enraged Poseidon by boasting that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids, or that she herself was more beautiful than the sea nymphs.
Poseidon punished Cassiopeia by forcing her to wheel around the north celestial pole on her throne, spending half of her time clinging to it so she wouldn't fall off.
The five brightest stars of Cassiopeia form a distinctive "W" shape. The brightest star in the constellation is Alpha Cassiopeiae, also known as Schedar, which shines at a magnitude of 2.240 from a distance of 228 light-years.
