Stars · Red supergiant
Mu Cephei
3,000 light-years · Light crosses it in 75 minutes
- Across
- 1.4 billion km
- Vs Earth
- 972× Sun
- Mass
- 19 Suns
Open Mu Cephei in Cosmic Scale
About
Mu Cephei is a deep red supergiant that William Herschel called 'a most beautiful garnet colour' — hence its nickname, the Garnet Star. It is one of the largest and most luminous stars in the Milky Way.
William Herschel called it the "Garnet Star".
At a glance
| Distance | About 3,000 light-years |
|---|---|
| Surface | 3,750 K |
| Brightness | Around 300,000 Suns |
| Radius | Around 970 Suns |
Did you know
- Its red colour comes from being cool and from dust the star itself has made and blown away.
- It varies irregularly over years as it pulsates.
- It has already fused helium into carbon and is close to the end of its life.