Perseus (constellation) facts for kids
| Constellation | |
List of stars in Perseus
|
|
| Abbreviation | Per |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Persei |
| Pronunciation | or genitive |
| Symbolism | Perseus |
| Right ascension | 3 |
| Declination | +45 |
| Quadrant | NQ1 |
| Area | 615 sq. deg. (24th) |
| Main stars | 19 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars |
65 |
| Stars with planets | 7 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 5 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 0 |
| Brightest star | α Per (Mirfak) (1.79m) |
| Messier objects | 2 |
| Meteor showers | Perseids September Perseids |
| Bordering constellations |
Aries Taurus Auriga Camelopardalis Cassiopeia Andromeda Triangulum |
| Visible at latitudes between +90° and −35°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of December. |
|
Perseus is a constellation in the northern sky. It is named after the hero Perseus from ancient Greek myths. This constellation is easy to spot and is known for its bright stars and interesting deep-sky objects. It is also famous for the yearly Perseids meteor shower.
Contents
What is the Perseus Constellation?
A constellation is a group of stars that form a pattern in the sky. People in ancient times imagined these patterns looked like animals, objects, or heroes. The Perseus constellation looks like a human figure, often shown holding the head of Medusa.
Finding Perseus in the Sky
Perseus is a northern constellation, which means it can be seen from the Northern Hemisphere. It is located near other famous constellations like Cassiopeia and Andromeda. You can usually see Perseus best during the autumn and winter months in the Northern Hemisphere.
To find it, look for the "W" or "M" shape of Cassiopeia. Perseus is usually found below Cassiopeia. It is a medium-sized constellation, ranking 24th in size among the 88 constellations.
The Story Behind Perseus
The constellation Perseus is named after a brave hero from Greek mythology. Perseus was the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and a mortal woman named Danaë. His most famous adventure involved defeating a terrible monster.
Perseus and Medusa
Perseus was sent on a dangerous quest to kill Medusa. Medusa was a Gorgon, a monster with snakes for hair. Anyone who looked directly at her would turn to stone.
Perseus received help from the gods. Athena gave him a shiny shield, and Hermes gave him winged sandals. Using the shield as a mirror, Perseus was able to see Medusa without looking at her directly. He then cut off her head. From Medusa's blood, the winged horse Pegasus was born.
After defeating Medusa, Perseus saved Princess Andromeda from a sea monster. He later married her. The constellations of Perseus, Andromeda, Cassiopeia (Andromeda's mother), and Cepheus (Andromeda's father) are all grouped together in the sky.
Bright Stars and Deep-Sky Objects
Perseus is home to several interesting stars and other celestial objects.
Mirfak: The Brightest Star
The brightest star in Perseus is called Mirfak. Its official name is Alpha Persei (α Per). Mirfak is a supergiant star, which means it is much larger and brighter than our Sun. It is about 510 light-years away from Earth.
Algol: The Demon Star
Another famous star in Perseus is Algol. Its official name is Beta Persei (β Per). Algol is known as the "Demon Star" because its brightness changes regularly. Ancient observers noticed this change and thought it was spooky.
Algol is an eclipsing binary star system. This means it is actually two stars orbiting each other. One star is brighter, and the other is dimmer. When the dimmer star passes in front of the brighter one, it causes the total light we see from Algol to dim. This happens every 2.87 days.
The Double Cluster
Perseus is also home to a beautiful pair of star clusters known as the Double Cluster. These are two open clusters of stars, called NGC 869 and NGC 884. They are very young clusters, only a few million years old.
You can see the Double Cluster with just your eyes on a clear, dark night. Through binoculars or a small telescope, they look amazing, filled with hundreds of bright, blue-white stars. They are about 7,500 light-years away.
The California Nebula
The California Nebula (NGC 1499) is another interesting object in Perseus. It is a large emission nebula, which is a cloud of gas and dust that glows. It gets its name because its shape looks a bit like the outline of the state of California. This nebula is about 1,000 light-years away.
The Perseid Meteor Shower
One of the most popular meteor showers of the year is the Perseids. This shower happens every year in August. It is named after the Perseus constellation because the meteors appear to come from that part of the sky.
The Perseids are caused by Earth passing through the dust and debris left behind by a comet called Comet Swift-Tuttle. When these small pieces of dust enter Earth's atmosphere, they burn up, creating bright streaks of light we call "shooting stars."
See also
In Spanish: Perseo (constelación) para niños
Images for kids
-
Perseus carrying the head of Medusa the Gorgon, as depicted in Urania's Mirror, a set of constellation cards published in London c.1825
-
The Double Cluster (NGC 869 and NGC 884)
