Perseus constellation
Latin Perseus, genitive Persei, abbreviation Per
North up, east to the left, as you see the sky. The lines are a common figure; the stars are from the catalogue.
The myth
The hero who cut off Medusa's head and rescued Andromeda. In the sky he carries the head with the star Algol, the 'demon star': every three days or so it dims for some hours as a companion passes in front of it. The Perseid meteors of August come from his direction.
When can Perseus be seen?
It stands highest around 10 pm in December. It can be seen from everywhere north of 35°S, and it never sets north of 58°N.
The brightest stars
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirfak | α Per | 1.79 | yellowish white |
| Algol | β Per | 2.12 | bluish |
| Atik | ζ Per | 2.85 | white |
| – | ε Per | 2.89 | bluish |
| – | γ Per | 2.93 | yellow |
| – | δ Per | 3.01 | bluish |
| Gorgonea Tertia | ρ Per | 3.39 | reddish |
| Miram | η Per | 3.76 | reddish |
The smaller the number, the brighter: below 1 are the brightest stars of the sky, 4 is hard to see under a city sky. Greek letters after Johann Bayer (1603).
Meteors
The Perseids radiate from Perseus: when they fall and how to see them.