The AsterNym star registry
Caph
Caph: the yellow-white star of Cassiopeia
yellow-white · Cassiopeia · β Cas
Caph is a yellow-white star, a near cousin of our own Sun's colour in the constellation Cassiopeia, one of the few thousand stars bright enough to carry an officially recognised name. On a dark, clear night you can find it with your own eyes.
Most stars in the sky are anonymous points of light. Caph is not — it has held a name across generations of sky-watchers, which makes it a rare thing to attach a name of your own to.
Real star · Personal dedication · Recorded in the AsterNym registry
See what a dedicated page looks like — preview
Caph at a glance
- Constellation
- Cassiopeia
- Other name
- β Cas
- Catalogue number
- HIP 746
- Distance
- ≈ 55 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 2.28 naked-eye
- Star type
- F2 III-IV
- Colour
- yellow-white
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 00h 09m 10s
- Declination
- +59° 08′ 59″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Caph dedication represent?
Caph is especially meaningful for someone who:
- · Deserves something older than any gift shop
- · Marks a beginning, an anniversary or a promise
- · Is remembered every time you look up
- · Has a light you want recorded somewhere permanent
Dedication idea
“For the one I think of when I find Cassiopeia in the sky.”
Where can you see Caph?
It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 31°S.
Caph belongs to Cassiopeia.
Dedicate Caph to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Caph dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Caph's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Caph keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Caph
- Is Caph the brightest star?
- Caph shines at magnitude 2.28 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Caph?
- Caph is approximately 55 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 55 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Caph?
- Caph is part of Cassiopeia.
- Can everyone see Caph?
- It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 31°S.
- Is dedicating Caph an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Caph keeps its internationally recognised astronomical name. An AsterNym dedication records your personal name and message in the AsterNym registry without changing the star's scientific identity.