Constellations

The Deep Photographic Guide to the
Constellations

The constellation of the month
SEPTEMBER

Cepheus, Lacerta

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Names:

Latin: Cepheus (Cep), Lacerta (Lac)
English: Cepheus, Lizard Spanish: Cefeo, Lagarto
German: Kepheus, Eidechse French: Cephée, Lézard
The constellation Cepheus is shown in the upper part of the image and Lacerta below (see lines). In the lower right are parts of Cygnus.

In mid of September Cepheus culminates at about 22:30 local time. But with its high declination of 55 to 90 degrees most northern hemisphere observers can see it all the year. It is circumpolar, i.e. it never sets below the horizon. The galactic equator is crossing our field of view with a couple of interesting deep sky objects. For example IC 1396, an extended but week HII region with ongoing star formation. A famous star is the pulsating variable Delta Cephei, the prototype of the so called Cepheids. These Cepheids have a given period-luminosity relation and so can serve as distance indicators even in extragalactic objects.

© all photographs taken by Till Credner and Sven Kohle