See Cepheus! | October 21 - October 27
SALUTATIONS STELLAR SAPIENS~ TRACE HERE!
CEPHEUS WAS KING OF ETHIOPIA, CASSIOPEIAS HUSBAND AND ANDROMEDAS POP!
HIS WHOLE FAM IS IN THE SKY.
BUT ONE OF HIS STARS IS SPECIAL THIS IS THE DARKNESS AT 9PM ANY NIGHT THIS WEEK FACING NORTH.
LOOKING HIGH IN THE SKY, FIND THE W-SHAPED PATTERN OF MY FAVORITE BOO, CASSIOPEIA.
DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE FROM THE TWO STARS ON THE TOP OF THE W AND YOULL RUN SMACK DAB INTO CEPHEUS THE KING.
HE LOOKS LIKE AN UPSIDE DOWN HOUSE.
HIS BRIGHTEST STAR IS ALDERAMIN, BUT GOING CLOCKWISE YOU SEE THE FAINT RED GARNET STAR, THEN ZETA CEPHEII THEN DELTA CEPHEII.
IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT DELTA VARIES IN BRIGHTNESS AT REGULAR INTERVALS; OTHER STARS DID THIS TOO.
EVENTUALLY, ASTRONOMERS REALIZED THEY COULD USE THIS REGULAR DIMMING TO MEASURE THE DISTANCE TO THESE STARS.
THE VARIABLES HELPED US DETERMINE THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF OUR OWN GALAXY AND THE DISTANCES TO NEARBY GALAXIES.
KEEP LOOKING UP!
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