Pegasus Pegasus is a distinctive northern constellation that is named after the Winged Horse in Greek mythology. Only the top half of the horse is depicted in the constellation. Hold your mouse cursor over the image to see constellation figures, boundaries, and star identifications. Pegasus is easily found in the sky by locating the four bright stars in the great square of Pegasus, an asterism formed by Alpha Pegasi (Markab), Beta Pegasi (Scheat), Gamma Pegasi (Algenib), and Alpha Andromeda (Alpheratz). Alpheratz was once also designated as Delta Pegasi, but that designation is no longer used. The nose of Pegasus is marked by Enif (Epsilon Pegasi), the brightest star in the constellation at magnitude 2.38. The spectral-class K orange supergiant is located 690 light-years away. Markab (Alpha Pegasi) is a type B spectral-class star that shines at magnitude 2.49 and is located 196 light-years distant. Scheat (Beta Pegasi) is a magnitude 2.44 spectral-class M red giant that is located 199 light-years away. Algenib (Gamma Pegasi) has a spectral classification of B and is a Beta Cephei type variable star whose brightness ranges from magnitude 2.78 to 2.89. It is located 333 light-years distant. Alpheratz (Alpha Amdromedae) has an apparent visual magnitude of 2.07 and is a spectral-class B star that is located 97 light-years away. Deep-sky objects in Pegasus include globular cluster Messier 15 and Pease 1, a planetary nebula inside of M15, and galaxy NGC 7331, and Stephan's Quintet, a compact galaxy group. Pegasus was cataloged by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century C.E. (Common Era). It is the seventh largest of today's 88 modern constellations, covering 1,121 square degrees of sky. Equuleus Equuleus is a northern constellation whose name in Latin means the Little Foal or the Little Horse. It is located to the southwest of Pegasus, the Winged Horse. Equuleus is the second smallest constellation and it contains no stars brighter than fourth magnitude. Alpha Equulei is Kitalpha, a spectral-class G star of magnitude 3.94 that is located 186 light-years away. Equuleus does not contain any Messier objects. Equuleus was cataloged by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century C.E. (Common Era). It is the 87th largest of today's 88 modern constellations, covering 72 square degrees of sky. North is to the bottom in the above image.
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