cassiopeia
the queen
✦ overview
this one's named after a vain queen from greek mythology who boasted she was more beautiful than the sea nymphs. her punishment was to be chained to her throne in the sky, spinning around, sometimes upright, sometimes upside down. it is visible all year from the northern hemisphere, never setting below the horizon.
✦ facts
- it forms a clear W or M shape in the sky depending on its orientation (MM flip it around wicked witch) (lowkey predicted), and is one of the easiest constellations to spot
- in 1572 a new star suddenly appeared in cassiopeia so bright it was visible in daylight. well well well. it was a supernova, and its remnant is still expanding today
- the centre star gamma cassiopeiae is unstable and has been known to randomly brighten and dim without warning :o