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Perseus



Abbreviation: Per
Genitive: Persei
Right Ascension: 3.71 hours
Declination: 41.77 degrees
  Perseus, the Rescuer of Andromeda, can be seen in late summer and autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.

His quest was to bring back the head of Medusa, not knowing her whereabouts he went to the three sisters of Polydectes, who were blind and shared a glass eye. They refused to help him until he stole the eye and would not return it until they told him where to find Medusa. Using a shield given to him by Minerva, he avoided looking directly at Medusa and beheaded her. Pegasus sprang out of the Medusa's blood and he rode him back to Artos, where he found Andromeda chained to the rocks as a sacrifice to Cetus, using the Gorgons head, Cetus turned to stone. Perseus and Andromeda fell in love, both were placed among the stars.

  Bright Stars | Deep Sky | Other Deep Sky | Variable Stars | Double Stars
 

Best Known Stars

(Yale Bright Star Catalog)
 
Common Name
or Bayer Number 1 		RA DEC Magnitude 2
MIRFAK 3.00:24.00:19.36 +49.00:51.00:40.34 1.79
ALGOL 3.00:8.00:10.13 +40.00:57.00:20.43 2.10
ATIK 3.00:54.00:7.92 +31.00:53.00:1.01 2.85
EPS PER 3.00:57.00:51.22 +40.00:0.00:36.72 2.89
GAM PER 3.00:4.00:47.79 +53.00:30.00:23.29 2.93
DEL PER 3.00:42.00:55.49 +47.00:47.00:15.30 3.01
RHO PER 3.00:5.00:10.59 +38.00:50.00:25.01 3.30
ETA PER 2.00:50.00:41.81 +55.00:53.00:43.80 3.76
NU PER 3.00:45.00:11.63 +42.00:34.00:42.70 3.77
TAU PER 2.00:54.00:15.45 +52.00:45.00:44.95 3.95
MENKIB 3.00:58.00:57.90 +35.00:47.00:27.59 4.04
48 PER 4.00:8.00:39.68 +47.00:42.00:45.09 4.04
IOT PER 3.00:9.00:4.01 +49.00:36.00:47.89 4.05
PHI PER 1.00:43.00:39.63 +50.00:41.00:19.48 4.07
THE PER 2.00:44.00:11.98 +49.00:13.00:42.48 4.12
MU PER 4.00:14.00:53.85 +48.00:24.00:33.60 4.14
LAM PER 4.00:6.00:35.03 +50.00:21.00:4.58 4.29
SIG PER 3.00:30.00:34.48 +47.00:59.00:42.89 4.36
24 PER 2.00:59.00:3.67 +35.00:10.00:59.24 4.93
54 PER 4.00:20.00:24.64 +34.00:34.00:0.27 4.93
4 PER 2.00:2.00:18.10 +54.00:29.00:15.25 5.04
14 PER 2.00:44.00:5.15 +44.00:17.00:49.32 5.43
2 PER 1.00:52.00:9.35 +50.00:47.00:34.21 5.79
57 PER 4.00:33.00:24.89 +43.00:3.00:49.99 6.09
   
 

Deep Sky Objects

(PAS Catalog)

Algol

 Algol (Beta Per) This famous variable star dips almost 1.5 magnitudes every 2.86 days. Its variability is due to a faint star eclipsing a brighter star. The eclipses last about 10 hours, so a significant brightening or dimming can easily be observed in one night. Its minima are listed in Sky and Telescope magazine every month, so if you haven't observed a variable star yet, give this one a try.

Alpha Persei Group

 Alpha Persei Group When you look at Alpha Per, it is easy to see granulation or condensation of the Milky Way in its region. Try looking at this area with binoculars, and you will be stunned by the wealth of stars in this area. This is actually a large open cluster having the designation Melotte 20, and contains over 100 stars. Give this area a peek.

Epsilon Per

 Epsilon Per A difficult split, but a fine yellow-white and blue double star.

Eta Per

 Eta Per This double star is an easy split, and shows a pretty yellow-gold primary and a fainter blue companion.

M-34

 M-34 This is a fine open cluster, easily seen in binoculars as somewhat box shaped, with many bright stars resolved. Through a telescope, it is almost 40' in diameter, made up of primarily bright and some relatively faint stars, and has a coarse appearance.

M-76

 M-76 The Little Dumbbell planetary nebula resembles M-27 as seen though a small telescope. It is bi-lobed, with the southern lobe the brighter of the two, and the northern being somewhat rectangular. Some dark lanes or patches are seen with averted vision. This object holds up to magnification well.

NGC 869 & 884

 NGC 869 & 884 The Double Cluster. This is one of the finest sights in the sky. These two open clusters are both large and bright, and fall in the same low power field of view. NGC 869 is the brighter and more concentrated of the two, and is dominated by two bright orange stars near its center. NGC 884 is slightly larger, and has many more orange-red stars. Both clusters contain over 100 stars each.
   
 

Other Deep Sky Objects

(Saguaro Astronomy Club Catalog)
  Only Objects less than 10.0 Mag.
 
Object R.A. Dec. Object Type 3 Mag. Uranometria Tirion
NGC 744 01 58.4 +55 29 OPNCL 07.9 037 01
Basel 10 02 18.8 +58 19 OPNCL 09.9 037 01
NGC 869 02 19.0 +57 09 OPNCL 05.3 037 01
NGC 884 02 22.4 +57 07 OPNCL 06.1 037 01
Czernik 8 02 33.0 +58 44 OPNCL 09.7 038 01
NGC 957 02 33.6 +57 32 OPNCL 07.6 038 01
Tr 2 02 37.3 +55 59 OPNCL 05.9 038 01
NGC 1023 02 40.5 +39 03 GALXY 09.4 062 04
NGC 1039 02 42.0 +42 47 OPNCL 05.2 062 04
NGC 1245 03 14.7 +47 15 OPNCL 08.4 063 04
Mel 20 03 22.0 +49 00 OPNCL 01.2 063 04
NGC 1342 03 31.6 +37 20 OPNCL 06.7 094 04
IC 348 03 44.5 +32 17 CL+NB 07.3 095 04
NGC 1444 03 49.4 +52 40 OPNCL 06.6 039 01
NGC 1496 04 04.4 +52 37 OPNCL 09.6 039 01
NGC 1513 04 10.0 +49 31 OPNCL 08.4 064 05
NGC 1528 04 15.4 +51 14 OPNCL 06.4 039 01
NGC 1545 04 20.9 +50 15 OPNCL 06.2 039 01
NGC 1582 04 32.0 +43 51 OPNCL 07 065 05
Berk 68 04 44.5 +42 04 OPNCL 09.8 065 05
Ru 148 04 46.5 +44 44 OPNCL 09.5 065 05
   
 

Variable Stars

(General Catalog of Variable Stars)
  Only Objects <= 8.0 magnitude
 
GCVS ID R.A.
(hh mm ss.ss)		 Dec.
(deg mm ss)		 Variable Type 4 Mag. Min Mag. Max
X Per 3.00:52.00:15.10 +30.00:54.00:1.00 GCAS+XP 7.00 6.03
AG Per 4.00:3.00:43.50 +33.00:18.00:47.00 EA/DM 7.00 6.69
AW Per 4.00:44.00:25.40 +36.00:38.00:5.00 DCEP 7.89 7.04
IW Per 3.00:30.00:16.70 +39.00:43.00:57.00 ELL/DM 5.84 5.79
IX Per 3.00:31.00:53.80 +31.00:51.00:4.00 ELL 0.02 6.66
KK Per 2.00:6.00:48.40 +56.00:19.00:25.00 LC 7.89 6.60
KP Per 3.00:29.00:12.50 +44.00:41.00:14.00 BCEP 0.14 6.37
KS Per 4.00:45.00:20.10 +43.00:11.00:19.00 * 0.25 7.60
LT Per 2.00:54.00:14.70 +31.00:44.00:3.00 ACV 5.14 5.03
MX Per 4.00:5.00:1.30 +47.00:34.00:52.00 GCAS 0.09 4.00
V0357 Per 2.00:13.00:27.30 +56.00:29.00:16.00 BCEP: 7.52 7.44
V0376 Per 3.00:45.00:40.70 +43.00:48.00:38.00 DSCT 5.91 5.77
V0380 Per 3.00:59.00:51.80 +37.00:55.00:2.00 ACV 0.03 7.76
V0383 Per 3.00:3.00:26.40 +33.00:25.00:58.00 ACV: 7.87 7.84
V0386 Per 3.00:54.00:49.50 +34.00:40.00:18.00 DSCTC 6.58 6.50
V0396 Per 3.00:28.00:35.90 +47.00:51.00:17.00 SXARI 5.53 5.45
V0423 Per 3.00:12.00:53.40 +34.00:30.00:19.00 ELL: 0.03 6.65
V0425 Per 2.00:28.00:15.30 +57.00:28.00:36.00 ACYG 7.10 6.98
V0436 Per 1.00:48.00:41.30 +54.00:54.00:3.00 EA/D 5.85 5.49
V0440 Per 2.00:20.00:22.00 +55.00:8.00:17.00 DCEPS 6.32 6.18
V0467 Per 3.00:46.00:22.60 +32.00:56.00:23.00 E/D 5.18 5.05
V0469 Per 4.00:17.00:55.70 +46.00:22.00:53.00 BCEP 4.86 4.81
V0472 Per 2.00:5.00:9.90 +58.00:11.00:13.00 ACYG 5.74 5.64
V0474 Per 2.00:18.00:51.20 +55.00:37.00:5.00 ACYG 5.25 5.15
V0475 Per 2.00:23.00:9.60 +57.00:27.00:17.00 ACYG 7.26 7.15
V0480 Per 2.00:45.00:48.30 +56.00:52.00:38.00 ACYG 6.30 6.23
V0490 Per 4.00:3.00:28.20 +32.00:15.00:5.00 E: 7.27 6.98
V0491 Per 4.00:4.00:14.00 +37.00:56.00:41.00 BY 0.03 7.10
V0492 Per 4.00:28.00:37.20 +36.00:38.00:15.00 RS: 0.07 6.70
V0496 Per 3.00:31.00:56.30 +37.00:50.00:57.00 ACV 7.79 7.70
V0505 Per 2.00:17.00:45.70 +54.00:16.00:54.00 EA/DM 7.46 6.87
V0509 Per 3.00:0.00:30.40 +47.00:39.00:14.00 DSCT 6.64 6.47
V0510 Per 3.00:10.00:29.70 +43.00:40.00:40.00 RS 0.22 7.30
bet Per 3.00:4.00:54.40 +40.00:45.00:52.00 EA/SD 3.39 2.12
gam Per 3.00:1.00:9.60 +53.00:18.00:44.00 EA/GS 0.55 3.63
del Per 3.00:39.00:21.00 +47.00:37.00:48.00 GCAS: 3.04 2.99
eps Per 3.00:54.00:29.40 +39.00:52.00:3.00 BCEP 3.00 2.88
ksi Per 3.00:55.00:42.80 +35.00:38.00:57.00 * 4.06 4.00
omi Per 3.00:41.00:10.60 +32.00:7.00:53.00 ELL 3.88 3.79
rho Per 3.00:1.00:57.80 +38.00:38.00:53.00 SRB 4.00 3.30
tau Per 2.00:50.00:41.90 +52.00:33.00:34.00 EA/GS 4.07 3.94
phi Per 1.00:40.00:30.80 +50.00:26.00:16.00 GCAS 4.11 3.96
psi Per 3.00:32.00:55.50 +48.00:1.00:41.00 GCAS 4.28 4.17
b Per 4.00:14.00:28.40 +50.00:10.00:29.00 ELL 4.68 4.52
   
 

Double Stars

(Saguaro Astronomy Club Catalog)
  Only Objects <= 8.0 magnitude
 
Name R.A.
(hh mm.m)		 Dec.
(deg mm)		 Mag 5 Sep 6 PA 7 Tirion Uranometria
STF 162 01 49.2 47 53 6.5, 7.0 2.00 202 4 61
STT 25 02 16.8 57 03 6.4, 7.2 103.00 204 1 37
HJ 1123 02 42.0 42 47 8.0, 8.0 20.00 248 4 62
STF 307 02 50.7 55 53 3.9, 7.9 28.30 301 1 38
STF 331 03 00.8 52 20 5.4, 6.8 12.30 85 1 38
STF 369 03 17.1 40 29 6.7, 8.0 3.80 29 4 63
BU 533 03 35.6 31 41 7.6, 7.6 1.10 43 4 94
S 430 03 38.3 44 48 8.0, 8.0 41.10 95 4 63/ 64
STF 425 03 40.1 34 07 7.6, 7.6 1.80 74 4 94/ 95
BU 545 04 07.4 38 01 8.0, 7.1 233.10 30 5 64/ 95
STF 552 04 31.4 40 01 7.0, 7.2 9.00 114 5 65
SHJ 44 04 33.4 43 03 6.1, 6.8 116.20 198 5 65
S 451 04 36.3 47 21 7.5, 7.6 58.40 199 5 65