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MY Cephei facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

MY Cephei is a really big star, much larger than our Sun! It's a type of star called a red supergiant star, and you can find it far away in the night sky within the Cepheus constellation.

What is MY Cephei?

MY Cephei is an enormous star. Imagine our Sun; now picture a star that is 1,134 times wider! That's how big MY Cephei is. It's so large that if it were in the center of our solar system, its edge would reach far beyond the orbit of Jupiter.

Red Supergiant Stars

MY Cephei is known as a red supergiant. These are some of the biggest stars in the universe. They are called "red" because their surface temperature is cooler than stars like our Sun, making them appear reddish-orange. They are "supergiants" because of their incredible size and brightness. Stars like MY Cephei are nearing the end of their lives.

Where is Cepheus?

MY Cephei is located in the Cepheus constellation. A constellation is a group of stars that form a pattern in the night sky, often named after a mythical creature or object. Cepheus is named after a mythical king. You can find this constellation in the northern sky.

A Variable Star

MY Cephei is also a semiregular variable star. This means that its brightness changes over time, but not always in a perfectly predictable way. Many stars change in brightness, and scientists study these changes to learn more about how stars work and what they are made of.

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MY Cephei Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.