PV Cephei

PV Cephei

PV Cep is the bright spot located at the edge of Gyulbudaghian’s Nebula
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA. Acknowledgement: Alexey Romashin
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Cepheus
Right ascension 20h 45m 53.943s
Declination +67° 57 38.66
Apparent magnitude (V) 14.58 - 18.08
Characteristics
Spectral type A5Ve
Variable type T Tau
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ) RA: 8.228 mas/yr
Dec.: −1.976 mas/yr
Parallax (π)2.9100±0.0593 mas
Distance1,120 ± 20 ly
(344 ± 7 pc)
Details
Mass2.6 M
Radius2.9 R
Luminosity1 - 100 L
Temperature8,150 K
Age<1 Myr
Database references
SIMBADdata

PV Cephei is a variable star of Orion type located in the constellation of Cepheus at a distance of about 1,100 light-years from Earth. In visible light it varies in brightness from magnitude 17 to 19, making it far too faint to be seen by the naked eye.

PV Cephei's variability was first detected by Martin Cohen, Leonard Vello Kuhi and Eugene A. Harlan, and was announced in 1977. It was given its variable star designation in 1978. The star is embedded within Gyulbudaghian's Nebula, a reflection nebula. As the star's brightness changes, the nebula's shape changes dramatically.