Andromeda (constellation)

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Template:Infobox Constellation Andromeda is a constellation named for the princess Andromeda (which is Greek for Ruler over men), a character in Greek mythology. The constellation is in the northern sky near the constellation Pegasus. It is most notable for containing the Andromeda Galaxy. It is sometimes called "The Chained Maiden" in English.

Corresponding Chinese constellations in Andromeda are Flying serpent (螣蛇), Celestial stable (天廄), Wall (壁), Legs (奎), Southern military gate (南軍門) and Great general of the heaven (天大将軍).

1 Notable features
2 Notable deep sky objects
3 Mythology
4 Notable and named stars
5 Stars with planets
6 See also
7 External links

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Notable features

The brightest star in the constellation, is Alpheratz which marks her head, Bayer designation Alpha Andromedae. Formerly considered common to Andromeda and Pegasus, as confirmed by its name, "navel of the horse", it was also designated δ Pegasi. With α, β, and γ Pegasi it forms an asterism called the Great Square of Pegasus.

β Andromedae is called Mirach, the girdle. It is 88 light years distant and of magnitude 2.1.

γ Andromedae, or Almach, is found at the tip of the southern leg of the big "A". It is a beautiful multiple star with contrasting colours.

υ Andromedae has a planetary system with three confirmed planets, 0.71 times, 2.11 times, and 4.61 times the mass of Jupiter.

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Notable deep sky objects

The most famous deep sky object in Andromeda is M31, the Andromeda Galaxy, one of the most distant objects visible to the naked eye (M33 is slightly farther). It is an enormous spiral galaxy much like ours. To find the galaxy, draw a line between β and μ Andromedae, and extend the line approximately the same distance again from μ.

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Mythology

If fainter stars, visible to the naked eye, in the constellation are considered, then the constellation takes the form of a stick-figure woman, with a prominent belt (as has the constellation Orion), where one arm has something long attached to it, giving the appearance of a female warrior holding a sword. This, together with other stars in the zodiac sign of Aries (part of Pisces, and the Pleiades), may be the origin of the myth of the girdle of Hippolyte, which forms part of The Twelve Labours of Herakles.

However, by including still fainter stars, the attachment extends in a different direction, giving the appearance of a maiden held by a chain. [1]. Together with other constellations nearby (Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Cetus, Pegasus, and Perseus), this may be the source of the myth of the Boast of Cassiopeia, with which it is usually identified.

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Notable and named stars

BD	F	Names and other designations	Mag.	Ly away	Comments
α	21	Alpha Andromedae, Alpheratz, Alpherat, Al'faret, Al'ferats, Sirrah, Sirah, Sirrakh	2.06	97.1	< سرة الفرس surrat[u] al-faras Navel of the steed (mare) (سرة alone is surrah) Alpha2 Canum Venaticorum type variable star
β	43	Beta Andromedae, Mirach, Merach, Mirac, Mirak, Mirakh, Merak, Mirar, Mirath, Mirax, El Mizar, Al Mizar	2.07	199	< ? al-maraqq The loins
γ¹^,²	57	Gamma Andromedae, Almach, Almaak, Alamak, Almak, Almaach, Alamac, Al'mak	2.26	355	< ? ؟ الارض al-^{c^{anāq al-arđ̧}} The "earth-kid", (a mustelid) double star; component magnitudes: 2.26, 4.84
δ	31	Delta Andromedae	3.27	101
	51	51 Andromedae	3.59	174
ο	1	Omicron Andromedae	3.62	692	spectroscopic quadruple star
λ	16	Lambda Andromedae	3.81	84.2	RS Canum Venaticorum type variable star
μ	37	Mu Andromedae	3.86	136
ζ	34	Zeta Andromedae	4.08	181	RS Canum Venaticorum type variable star
υ	50	Upsilon Andromedae	4.09	43.9	has three planets
κ	19	Kappa Andromedae	4.15	170
φ	42	Phi Andromedae, Keun Nan Mun	4.26	740	< 軍南門 (Mandarin jūnnánmén) The south gate of the camp Keun Nan Mun shared with χ Andromedae
ι	17	Iota Andromedae	4.29	503
ε	30	Epsilon Andromedae	4.34	169
π	29	Pi Andromedae	4.34	660
η	34	Eta Andromedae	4.40	243
σ	25	Sigma Andromedae	4.51	141
ν	35	Nu Andromedae	4.53	680
	7	7 Andromedae	4.53
θ	24	Theta Andromedae	4.61	253
	3	3 Andromedae	4.64
	65	65 Andromedae	4.73
	58	58 Andromedae	4.78
	8	8 Andromedae	4.82
ω	48	Omega Andromedae	4.83	92.3
b	60	60 Andromedae	4.84
ξ	46	Xi Andromedae, Adhil	4.88	196	< الذيل að-ðayl The train (of a garment) [lit. The tail]
τ	53	Tau Andromedae	4.96	680
ψ	20	Psi Andromedae	4.97	1310
χ	52	Chi Andromedae, Keun Nan Mun	5.01	242	< 軍南門 (Mandarin jūnnánmén) The south gate of the camp Keun Nan Mun shared with φ Andromedae
	22	22 Andromedae	5.01
	41	41 Andromedae	5.04
	2	2 Andromedae	5.09
ρ	27	Rho Andromedae	5.16	160
	64	64 Andromedae	5.19
	28	28 Andromedae	5.20
	14	14 Andromedae	5.22
A	49	49 Andromedae	5.27
	4	4 Andromedae	5.30
	32	32 Andromedae	5.30
c	62	62 Andromedae	5.31
	18	18 Andromedae	5.35
	55	55 Andromedae	5.42
	11	11 Andromedae	5.44
	36	36 Andromedae	5.46
	15	15 Andromedae	5.55
	63	63 Andromedae	5.57
	47	47 Andromedae	5.60
	44	44 Andromedae	5.67
	5	5 Andromedae	5.68
	56	56 Andromedae	5.69
	23	23 Andromedae	5.71
	13	13 Andromedae	5.75
	12	12 Andromedae	5.77
	45	45 Andromedae	5.80
	10	10 Andromedae	5.81
	6	6 Andromedae	5.91
	39	39 Andromedae	5.95
	9	9 Andromedae	5.98
	59	59 Andromedae	6.09
	26	26 Andromedae	6.10
	66	66 Andromedae	6.16
		HR 465, GY Andromedae	6.36	455	has Promethium lines in its spectrum. Alpha2 Canum Venaticorum type variable star
	59	59 Andromedae	6.82
		Groombridge 34, GQ Andromedae, GX Andromedae	8.01	11.62	nearby double star; component magnitudes: 8.08, 11.06 flare star
		Ross 248	12.29	10.32	nearby
		S Andromedae, Supernova 1885		2.9 million	1885 supernova in the Andromeda Galaxy.

Source: The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed., The Hipparcos Catalogue, ESA SP-1200

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Stars with planets

Star	Planet	Distance (ly)	Discovered
HD 13507	HD 13507 b	85.45	2002
HD 3346	HD 3346 b	655.58	1996
HD 3346	HD 3346 c	655.58	1996
HD 8673	HD 8673 b	124.75	2005
Upsilon Andromedae	Upsilon Andromedae b	52	1996
	Upsilon Andromedae c	52	1999
	Upsilon Andromedae d	52	1999