Beta Cassiopeiae
System Information
β Cassiopeiae is a white giant star in the constellation Cassiopeiae.
Beta Cassiopeiae is the star's Bayer designation. It also bore the traditional names Caph (from the Arabic word كف kaf, "palm" - i.e. reaching from the Pleiades), Chaph and Kaff, as well as al-Sanam al-Nakah "the Camel's Hump". Originally, the pre-Islamic Arabic term al-Kaff al-Khadib "the stained hand" referred to the five stars comprising the 'W' of the constellation Cassiopeia, and depicted a hand stained with henna. The term was abbreviated and somehow came to signify β Cassiopeiae alone. The old "stained hand" was part of an asterism called Thuraya stretching from the Pleiades, which signified the "head" through Taurus and Perseus and into Cassiopeia, while the other "hand" was in Cetus.
In Chinese, 王良 (Wáng Liáng), refers to an asterism consisting of β Cassiopeiae, κ Cassiopeiae, η Cassiopeiae, α Cassiopeiae and λ Cassiopeiae. Consequently, β Cassiopeiae itself is known as 王良一 (Wáng Liáng yī, English: the First Star of Wang Liang.)
Together with Alpha Andromedae (Alpheratz) and Gamma Pegasi (Algenib), Beta Cassiopeiae was one of three bright stars known as the "Three Guides" marking the equinoctial colure. This is an imaginary line running due south from Beta Cassiopeiae through Alpha Andromedae to the celestial equator, at a point where the Sun's path (the ecliptic) crosses it each autumn and spring equinox.
There are six planetary bodies in orbit of Beta Cassiopeiae, including the twin gas giants Priam and Hecuba. A satellite of Priam, Cassandra,
Planets
- Caph I - Class L (Uninhabitable)
- Caph II - Class D (Terraformed)
- Caph III - Class D (Terraformed)
- Priam - Class T (Gas Giant)
- Cassandra - Class M (Inhabited Moon of Priam)
- Hecuba - Class J (Gas Giant)
- Paris - Class K (Uninhabitable)
