The most active meteor shower, known as the Perseid meteor shower, is happening above observers in the Northern Hemisphere. That makes it the perfect time to check out the constellation Perseus! The Perseids peak August 11-12, but you can check out Perseus’ stars and deep-sky objects any time.

In Greek mythology, the hero Perseus is known for slaying the snake-haired Medusa and rescuing and marrying princess Andromeda. The constellation, too, has been known since ancient times, showing up in the records of Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy during the second century A.D. It’s the 24th-largest constellation, just larger than Cassiopeia and Orion, and is visible all year long in the Northern Hemisphere, and mid-spring to early summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

Stars in Perseus

Image captured by Unistellar eVscope user David Rowe (United Kingdom)

Notable stars in Perseus include:

Mirfak, the brightest star, with a spectrum so stable it’s used to classify other stars.
Algol, also known as the Demon Star, is actually a triple star system with regular eclipses that cause variations in brightness.
Atik is a giant star with a blue hue, part of a triple star system.
Miram is a binary star that’s in turn part of a triple star system.
Misam’s energy comes from the nuclear fusion of helium at its core: It’s known as a red clump giant.
Menkib is a blue giant, one of the hottest stars we can see with the naked eye.

Deep-Sky Objects in Perseus

Don’t miss these three deep-sky objects in the Perseus constellation: the Double Cluster, Little Dumbbell Nebula, and NGC 1491!

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Above: h Persei & khi Persei, the pair of star clusters in the Double Cluster imaged by Unistellar eVscope user David Rowe (United Kingdom). Below: h Persei & khi Persei stitched together by David Rowe.

Double Cluster (Caldwell 14)

This pair of star clusters sits between Perseus and Cassiopeia. Each contains a supergiant sun. In very dark skies, they can be spotted with the naked eye!

Image captured by Unistellar eVscope user Jacques Bérard (Quebec)

Little Dumbbell Nebula

Also known as Messier 76, this nebula was discovered by French astronomer Pierre Méchain in 1780. It’s the remnants of two dying stars, creating a bipolar planetary nebula.

Image captured by Unistellar eVscope user Scott Kardel (USA)

NGC 1491

This emission nebula has a blue star at its center, surrounded by a cloud of ionized hydrogen and oxygen that glows a rich red.

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Clear skies! 🔭