The constellation of Andromeda, the Chained Woman // E. Slawik, NOIRLab, NSF, AURA, & M. Zamani
Click below for an annotated image and some facts about the stars that make up Andromeda!
In order of brightness:
Alpheratz (α Andromedae) is a binary star system consisting of two blue-white giant stars about 97 light years away. The name comes from the Arabic phrase surrat al-faras meaning "navel of the horse."
Mirach (β Andromedae) is solitary red giant star about 197 light years away. The name comes from the Arabic word mīzar meaning "girdle."
Almach (γ Andromedae) is a quadruple star systme about 390 light years away. The primary is an orange supergiant star with a few blue-white stellar companions. The name comes from the Arabic word al-‘anāq meaning "desert lynx."
δ Andromedae is an unnamed triple star system about 105 light years away. It consists of an orange giant, and two red dwarfs.
Nembus (51 Andromedae) is a solitary orange giant star about 169 light years away. Its name was given to it in 1603 in a famous stellar atlas called the Uranometria, although it is of unknown origin.
Alfarasalkamil (o Andromedae) is a potential quadruple star system about 690 light years away. The primary star is a blue-white giant star. The name comes from the Arabic phrase Al Faras al Kamil meaning "the complete horse," as opposed to the constellation Pegasus, which is only the front half of a horse.
Udkadua (λ Andromedae) is a binary star system dominated by a Sun-like star. The system is about 85 light years away. The name comes from a Sumerian word udkadua meaning "the storm demon with the gaping mouth."
μ Andromedae is an unnamed binary star system about 122 light years away. It is dominated by a blue-white giant star.
Shimu (ζ Andromedae) is a binary star system about 181 light years away, consisting of an orange giant and a red dwarf. The name comes from a Chinese phrase Tian Shi Mu meaning "the eye of the celestial pig."
Kaffalmusalsala (κ Andromedae) is a solitary blue-white giant star about 168 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase Kaff al-Musalsala meaning "the hand of the chained woman."
Junnanmen (φ Andromedae) is a binary star system about 720 light years away. Both components are blue giant star. The name comes from Chinese astronomy: Jūnnánmén (軍南門) means "southern military gate."
Rasalnaqa (ι Andromedae) is a single blue giant star about 510 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase Ra’s al-Nāqa meaning "head of the she-camel."
π Andromedae is an unnamed binary star system consisting of two blue-white giant stars about 580 light years away.
ε Andromedae is an unnamed solitary yellow giant star about 169 light years away.
Kui (η Andromedae) is a binary system consisting of two yellow giant stars about 260 light years away. The name comes from Chinese astronomer: Kuí Sù (奎宿) means "legs."
ν Andromedae is an unnamed binary system consisting of two blue-white giant stars about 560 light years away.
Not part of the lines that make up the constellation, but named, is Titawin (υ Andromedae), a binary star consisting of a white giant star and a red dwarf about 44 light years away. The name comes from the Berber name Tiṭṭawin.
It was great to get out before dawn to see many familiar celestial figures as a harbinger of the more comfortable and cooler autumn weather up ahead. I dodged the familiar figure of Andromeda facing left here centering on M31 with Alpheratz top, Mirach then Almach forming the "backbone." The red giant Scheat in Pegasus is prominent toward the top center with Lacerta below. The two prominent stars bottom center, the white Caph and the orange/red Schedar, are from the familiar Cassiopeia (making her a redhead I guess?)
Almach (γ Andromedae) is a quadruple star system about 390 light years from Earth. It can easily be separated into two stellar components, while the other two stars are more difficult to discern. The name comes from the Arabic word al-‘anāq meaning "the caracal."
