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Proper NameFulu
Bayer DesignationZeta Cassiopeiae
Flamsteed Number17 Cassiopeiae
HR (BSC)153
HD3360
ConstellationCassiopeia
Right Ascension0h 36m 58s
Declination+53° 53' 49"
Distance593 light years
182 parsecs
MagnitudeApparent: +3.7
Absolute: -2.6
Spectral ClassB2IV blue subgiant
Optimum VisibilityOctober (Usually visible from northern latitudes)
NotesFulu or Zeta Cassiopeiae lies to the south of Cassiopeia's recognisable 'W' shape, almost directly southward of the brighter star Schedar or Alpha Cassiopeiae. This is a pulsating variable star, showing regular variations in its luminosity over a period of 1.6 days.

Though the group of stars around Fulu might superficially appear similar to one another, they are in fact unrelated and lie at widely varying distances. Of the three bright blue stars in this image, Fulu, though the brightest, is actually the most distant at some 593 light years. The next brightest star, Lambda Cassiopeiae to the northwest, is in fact rather closer to the Sun at some 378 light years, but is a main sequence star less intrinsically luminous than the subgiant Fulu. Imagery provided by Aladin sky atlas

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