What is Delta Cephei?
Q: What is Delta Cephei?
A: Delta Cephei (δ Cep, δ Cephei) is a binary star system about 887 light-years away in the northern constellation of Cepheus, the King.
Q: Who discovered Delta Cephei?
A: Delta Cephei was discovered by John Goodricke in 1784.
Q: How far away is Delta Cephei?
A: Delta Cephei is located approximately 887 light-years away from Earth.
Q: What makes Delta Cephei important?
A: The distance to Delta Cephei is extremely well known due to its proximity to a star cluster and precise Hubble Space Telescope/Hipparcos parallaxes which give an accurate result. As a result, it is known as a "fundamental distance calibrator", or absolute candle.
Q: What type of variable star is Delta Cephei?
A:Delta Cephiei is classified as a classical, or type I, cephied variable star.
Q: How much luminosity does Delta Cepei emit compared to the Sun's luminosity?
A:Delta Cepei emits around 2,000 times more luminosity than the Sun's luminosity.
Q: How much mass does the expelled gas from delta cephie contain?
A:The expelled gas from delta cephie contains between 0.07 - 0.21 solar masses of neutral hydrogen
