Cygnus (constellation) facts for kids
| Constellation | |
List of stars in Cygnus
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| Abbreviation | Cyg |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Cygni |
| Pronunciation | genitive |
| Symbolism | swan, The Northern Cross |
| Right ascension | 20.62 h |
| Declination | +42.03 |
| Quadrant | NQ4 |
| Area | 804 sq. deg. (16th) |
| Main stars | 9 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars |
84 |
| Stars with planets | 57 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 4 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 1 |
| Brightest star | Deneb (α Cyg) (1.25m) |
| Messier objects | 2 |
| Meteor showers | October Cygnids Kappa Cygnids |
| Bordering constellations |
Cepheus Draco Lyra Vulpecula Pegasus Lacerta |
| Visible at latitudes between +90° and −40°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of September. |
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Cygnus is a famous constellation you can see in the northern sky. Its name means "swan" in Greek. People often call it the Northern Cross because its brightest stars form a shape like a cross.
This is similar to the Crux (constellation) constellation, which is known as the Southern Cross. A long time ago, in the 2nd century, the astronomer Ptolemy included Cygnus in his list of constellations.
Cool Things to See in Cygnus
Cygnus is home to some amazing deep-sky objects. These are things like nebulae, which are giant clouds of gas and dust in space.
- The North America nebula looks just like the continent of North America.
- The Pelican nebula gets its name because it looks like a pelican.
Bright Stars in Cygnus
Cygnus has several bright and interesting stars:
- Deneb is the brightest star in Cygnus. It is also one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Deneb is part of a famous star pattern called the Summer Triangle.
- Albireo is a beautiful double star. Even with a small telescope, you can see its two different colored stars. One is blue, and the other is gold.
- Chi Cygni is a variable star. This means its brightness changes over time.
- KY Cygni is a very large and bright star. It is known as a supergiant star.
Images for kids
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Cygnus as shown in Urania's Mirror. This was a set of star cards from London around 1825.
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V1331 Cygni is a young star. It is found inside a dark cloud called LDN 981.
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You can easily see the two stars of Albireo. Even a small telescope shows them clearly.
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The North America Nebula (NGC 7000) is a well-known nebula in Cygnus.
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NGC 6992 (Eastern Veil Nebula) and NGC 6960 (Western Veil Nebula). These were photographed from a dark sky location.
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Cygnus X is a huge area in Cygnus. Many new stars are forming there.
See also
In Spanish: Cygnus (constelación) para niños
