Orange bright giant · Cassiopeia

Schedar

Also known as: α Cassiopeiae (α Cas), HIP 3179

mag 2.2230 light-years

About

Schedar (α Cassiopeiae) is an orange bright giant of magnitude 2.2 in Cassiopeia, about 230 light-years away.

Schedar is in the constellation Cassiopeia.
Best evenings: around mid-November it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from north of 23° S.
Star patterns: Cassiopeia’s W.

When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.

EyesEasy, even from town. It has a clear orange tint.
Binoculars (10×50)A sharp point; binoculars bring out its colour and the fainter stars around it.
Telescope (6–8 inch)Still a point of light at any magnification — stars are too far away to show a disc. Low in the sky, bright stars twinkle and flash colours.

Stars look the same in any instrument: brighter and sharper, but never bigger.

Proper name	Schedar
Designation	α Cassiopeiae (α Cas)
Hipparcos number	HIP 3179
Type	Orange bright giant
Spectral type	K0II-IIIvar
Colour	Pale orangeB−V colour index 1.17
Magnitude	2.2The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	230 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1800.
Proper motion	0.060″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Cassiopeia
Right ascension (J2000)	00h 40m 30.4s
Declination (J2000)	+56° 32′ 14″