RW Cephei

Also known as RW Cep

RW Cephei is a red supergiant star in the constellation Cepheus, about 28,610 light-years from Earth.

Yellow hypergiant in Cepheus, one of the largest stars known

Open it on the live sky map Plan Night Exploration

RW Cephei: a sky-survey photograph of its field — Sky survey view (DSS2 colour, or a backup survey)

Facts

Type	Red supergiant star (spectral type K2_0-Ia)
Constellation	Cepheus
Position (J2000)	22h 23m 07s, +55° 57′
Distance	28,610 light-years (its light set off about 28,610 years ago)
Brightness	magnitude 6.65 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6)
Studied in	183 scientific papers (SIMBAD)

When and how to see it

RW Cephei is highest in the sky at midnight in August. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 54° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 84°. To see it you need binoculars.

Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.

For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.

More in Cepheus

Everything in Cepheus · All 88 constellations · All sky objects

Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits