The constellation of Cassiopeia, the Queen, was one of the 48 constellations detailed by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. The constellation is most notable because of its W shape, which is said to represent the Queen sitting on her throne. She was placed in the stars as a punishment for believing that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the sea nymphs.
Some of Cassiopeia’s stars vary their brightness. Gamma Cassiopeiae is spinning so fast that it flings material from its surface into space, which alters its brightness, and Delta Cassiopeiae may vary every few years because it is temporarily eclipsed by a dimmer companion star. From London, Cassiopeia is a circumpolar constellation, meaning that it can be seen all year round.
Not all cultures see Cassiopeia as a Queen. Some Arabic societies saw Cassiopeia as part of a large constellation representing a camel. In the Marshall Islands, Cassiopeia’s stars were incorporated into a porpoise constellation.
The chart shows the view looking north-west from London at midnight on 7 January.
