List of variable stars

As of 2017, there are over 52,011 known variable stars,[1] with more being discovered regularly, so a complete list of every single variable is impossible at this place (cf. GCVS). The following is a list of variable stars that are well-known, bright, significant, or otherwise interesting.

Designation (name) Constellation Discovery Apparent magnitude (Maximum)[2] Apparent magnitude (Minimum)[3] Range of magnitude Period Type Comment
R And Andromeda   5m.8 14m.9 9.1 409 d Mira variable (M)  
S And (Supernova 1885) Andromeda Ernst Hartwig, August 20, 1885 5m.8 16m 10.2 Supernova (SNI)  
U Ant Antlia   8m.1 (p) 9m.7 (p) 1.6 LB  
θ Aps Apus   6m.4 (p) 8m.6 (p) 2.2 119 d Semiregular (SRB)  
η Aql Aquila Pigott, 1784 3m.48 4m.39 0.91 7.17664 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
R Aql Aquila   5m.5 12m.0 6.5 284 d Mira variable (M)  
V Aql Aquila   6m.6 8m.4 1.8 353 d Semiregular (SRB)  
R Aqr Aquarius Karl Ludwig Harding, 1810 5m.8 12m.4 6.9 387 d Mira variable (M)  
T Aqr Aquarius   7m.2 14m.2 7.0 202 d Mira variable (M)  
U Ara Ara   7m.7 14m.1 6.4 225 d Mira variable (M)  
R Ari Aries   7m.4 13m.7 6.3 187 d Mira variable (M)  
U Ari Aries   7m.2 15m.2 8.0 371 d Mira variable (M)  
ε Aur (Almaaz) Auriga Johann Heinrich Fritsch, 1821 2m.92 3m.83 0.91 27.08 years Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/GS)  
R Aur Auriga   6m.7 13m.9 7.2 458 d Mira variable (M)  
AE Aur Auriga   5m.78 6m.08 0.30 Orion variable (INA)  
R Boo Boötes   6m.2 13m.1 6.9 223 d Mira variable (M)  
W Boo Boötes   4m.73 5m.4 0.67 450 d Semiregular (SRB:)  
X Cam Camelopardalis   7m.4 14m.2 6.8 144 d Mira variable (M)  
VZ Cam Camelopardalis   4m.80 4m.96 0.16 23.7 d Semiregular (SR)  
R Cap Capricornus Hind, 1848 9m.4 14m.9 5.5 345 d Mira variable (M)  
η Car Carina Burchell, 1827 -0m.8 7m.9 8.6 S Doradus (SDOR) "The unpredictable supergiant"
l Car Carina   3m.28 4m.18 0.90 35.53584 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
R Car Carina   3m.9 10m.5 6.6 309 d Mira variable (M)  
S Car Carina   4m.5 9m.9 5.4 149 d Mira variable (M)  
γ Cas Cassiopeia   1m.6 3m.0 1.4 Gamma Cassiopeiae (GCAS)  
R Cas Cassiopeia   4m.7 13m.5 8.9 430 d Mira variable (M)  
S Cas Cassiopeia   7m.9 16m.1 8.2 612 d Mira variable (M)  
W Cas Cassiopeia   7m.8 12m.5 4.7 406 d Mira variable (M)  
WZ Cas Cassiopeia   6m.3 8m.5 2.2 Semiregular (SRB) Visual double star, visible through binoculars
R Cen Centaurus   5m.3 11m.8 6.5 546 d Mira variable (M)  
S Cen Centaurus   9m.2 (p) 10m.7 (p) 1.5 65 d Semiregular (SR)  
T Cen Centaurus   5m.5 9m.0 3.5 90.44 d Semiregular (SRA)  
V645 Cen (Proxima Centauri) Centaurus   12m.1 (B) 13m.12 (B) 1.02 UV Ceti (UV)  
δ Cep Cepheus John Goodricke, 1784 3m.48 4m.37 0.89 5.36634 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP) prototype double star, visible in binoculars
μ Cep (Herschel's Garnet Star) Cepheus William Herschel, 1782 3m.43 5m.1 1.67 730 d Semiregular (SRC)  
S Cep Cepheus   7m.4 12m.9 5.5 487 d Mira variable (M)  
T Cep Cepheus   5m.2 11m.3 6.1 388 d Mira variable (M)  
U Cep Cepheus   6m.75 9m.24 2.49 2.49305 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/SD)  
SS Cep Cepheus   8m.0 (p) 9m.1 (p) 1.1 90 d Semiregular (SRB)  
AR Cep Cepheus   7m.0 7m.9 0.9 Semiregular (SRB)  
ο Cet (Mira) Cetus David Fabricius, 1596; variability may have been first noted by Johannes Fokkes Holwarda, 1638 2m.0 10m.1 8.1 332 d Mira variable (M) "The miraculous"
The first discovered non-ephemeral/cataclysmic variable star.
T Cet Cetus   5m.0 6m.9 1.9 159 d Semiregular (SRC)  
U Cet Cetus   6m.8 13m.4 6.6 235 d Mira variable (M)  
W Cet Cetus   7m.1 14m.8 7.7 351 d Mira variable (M)  
R Cha Chamaeleon   7m.5 14m.2 6.7 335 d Mira variable (M)  
R CMa Canis Major   5m.70 6m.34 0.64 1.13594 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/SD)  
VY CMa Canis Major   6m.5 9m.6 3.1 unique (*)  
FW CMa Canis Major   5m.00 5m.50 0.50 Gamma Cassiopeiae (GCAS)  
S CMi Canis Minor   6m.6 13m.2 6.6 333 d Mira variable (M)  
R Cnc Cancer   6m.07 11m.8 5.73 362 d Mira variable (M)  
S Cnc Cancer Hind, 1848 8m.29 10m.25 1.96 9.48455 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/DS)  
T Cnc Cancer Hind, 1850 7m.6 10m.5 2.9 482 d Semiregular (SRB)  
X Cnc Cancer   5m.6 7m.5 1.9 195 d Semiregular (SRB)  
T Col Columba   6m.6 12m.7 6.1 226 d Mira variable (M)  
R Com Coma Berenices   7m.1 14m.6 7.5 363 d Mira variable (M)  
α CrB (Alphecca or Gemma) Corona Borealis   2m.21 (B) 2m.32 (B) 0.11 17.35991 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/DM)  
R CrB Corona Borealis Piggott, 1795 5m.71 14m.8 9.09 R Coronae Borealis (RCB)  
S CrB Corona Borealis   5m.8 14m.1 8.7 360 d Mira variable (M)  
T CrB Corona Borealis   2m.0 10m.8 8.8 (80 years) recurrent nova (NR)  
U CrB Corona Borealis   7m.66 8m.79 1.13 3.45220 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/SD)  
V CrB Corona Borealis   6m.9 12m.6 5.3 358 d Mira variable (M)  
W CrB Corona Borealis   7m.8 14m.3 6.5 238 d Mira variable (M)  
R Cru Crux   6m.40 7m.23 0.83 5.82575 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
R Crv Corvus   6m.7 14m.4 7.7 317 d Mira variable (M)  
χ Cyg Cygnus Kirch, 1686 3m.3 14m.2 10.9 408 d Mira variable (M)  
R Cyg Cygnus   6m.1 14m.4 8.3 426 d Mira variable (M)  
U Cyg Cygnus   5m.9 12m.1 6.2 463 d Mira variable (M)  
W Cyg Cygnus   6m.80 (B) 8m.9 (B) 2.1 131 d Semiregular (SRB)  
X Cyg Cygnus   5m.85 6m.91 1.06 16.38633 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
RT Cyg Cygnus   6m.0 13m.1 7.1 190 d Mira variable (M)  
SS Cyg Cygnus   7m.7 12m.4 4.7 (49.5 d) dwarf nova UGSS prototype  
SU Cyg Cygnus   6m.44 7m.22 0.78 3.84555 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
CH Cyg Cygnus   5m.60 8m.49 2.89 Z Andromedae (ZAND+SR)  
R Del Delphinus   7m.6 13m.8 6.2 285  d Mira variable (M)  
U Del Delphinus   7m.6 (p) 8m.9 (p) 1.3 110 d Semiregular (SRB)  
EU Del Delphinus   5m.79 6m.9 1.11 59.7 d Semiregular (SRB)  
β Dor Dorado   3m.46 4m.08 0.62 9.8426 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
S Dor Dorado   8m.6 (B) 11m.5 (B) 2.9 S Doradus (SDOR) (prototype) in the Large Magellanic Cloud
R Dra Draco   6m.7 13m.2 6.5 246 d Mira variable (M)  
T Eri Eridanus   7m.2 13m.2 6.0 252 d Mira variable (M)  
R For Fornax   7m.5 13m.0 5.5 389 d Mira variable (M)  
η Gem (Propus) Gemini   3m.15 3m.9 0.75 233 d Semiregular (SRA+EA)  
ζ Gem (Mekbuda) Gemini   3m.62 4m.18 0.56 10.15073 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
R Gem Gemini Hind, 1848 6m.0 14m.0 8.0 370 d Mira variable (M)  
S Gem Gemini Hind, 1848 8m.0 14m.7 6.7 293 d Mira variable (M)  
T Gem Gemini Hind, 1848 8m.0 15m.0 7.0 288 d Mira variable (M)  
U Gem Gemini   8m.2 14m.9 6.7 (105.2 d) dwarf nova (UGSS+E)  
S Gru Grus   6m.0 15m.0 9.0 402 d Mira variable (M)  
α Her (Rasalgethi) Hercules William Herschel, 1759 2m.74 4m.0 1.26 Semiregular (SRC)  
g Her (30 Her) Hercules   4m.3 6m.3 2.0 89.2 d Semiregular (SRB)  
u Her (68 Her) Hercules   4m.69 5m.37 0.68 2.05103 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/SD)  
S Her Hercules   6m.4 13m.8 7.4 307 d Mira variable (M)  
U Her Hercules   6m.4 13m.4 7.0 406 d Mira variable (M)  
X Her Hercules   7m.5 (p) 8m.6 (p) 1.1 95.0 d Semiregular (SRB)  
R Hor Horologium   4m.7 14m.3 9.6 408 d Mira variable (M)  
U Hor Horologium   7m.8 (p) 15m.1 (p) 6.3 348 d Mira variable (M)  
R Hya Hydra Maraldi, 1704 3m.5 10m.9 7.4 389 d Mira variable (M)  
S Hya Hydra Hind, 1848 7m.2 13m.3 6.1 257 d Mira variable (M)  
U Hya Hydra   7m.0 (B) 9m.4 (B) 2.4 ~450 d Semiregular (SRB)  
VW Hya Hydra   10m.5 14m.1 3.6 2.69642 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/SD)  
BL Lac Lacerta   12m.4 (B) 17m.2 (B) 4.8 BLLAC prototype originally thought to be a variable star, but later

discovered to be a blazar

R Leo Leo J.A. Koch, 1782 4m.4 11m.3 6.9 310 d Mira variable (M)  
R Lep Lepus   5m.5 11m.7 6.2 427 d Mira variable (M) Hind's Crimson Star
RX Lep Lepus   5m.0 7m.4 2.4 ~60 d Semiregular (SRB)  
R LMi Leo Minor   6m.3 13m.2 6.9 372 d Mira variable (M)  
RU Lup Lupus   9m.6 (p) 13m.4 (p) 3.8 Orion variable (INT)  
β Lyr (Sheliak) Lyra John Goodricke, 1784 3m.25 4m.36 1.11 12.91383 d Eclipsing binary Beta Lyrae type (prototype)  
R Lyr Lyra   3m.88 5m.0 1.12 ~46 d Semiregular (SRB)  
RR Lyr Lyra   7m.06 8m.12 1.06 0.566868 d RR Lyrae variable (prototype)  
U Mic Microscopium   7m.0 14m.4 7.7 334 d Mira variable (M)  
U Mon Monoceros   6m.1 (p) 8m.8 (p) 2.7 91.3 d RV Tauri variable (RVB)  
V Mon Monoceros   6m.0 13m.9 7.9 341 d Mira variable (M)  
R Nor Norma   6m.5 (p) 13m.9 (p) 7.4 508 d Mira variable (M)  
T Nor Norma   6m.2 13m.6 7.4 241 d Mira variable (M)  
R Oct Octans   6m.4 13m.2 6.8 405 d Mira variable (M)  
S Oct Octans   7m.2 14m.0 6.8 259 d Mira variable (M)  
V Oph Ophiuchus   7m.3 11m.6 4.3 297 d Mira variable (M)  
X Oph Ophiuchus   5m.9 9m.2 3.3 329 d Mira variable (M)  
RS Oph Ophiuchus   4m.3 12m.5 8.2 recurrent nova (NR)  
BF Oph Ophiuchus   6m.93 7m.71 0.78 4.06775 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
α Ori (Betelgeuse) Orion John Herschel, 1840 0m.0 1m.3 1.3 6.39 years Semiregular (SRC)  
δ Ori (Mintaka) Orion John Herschel, 1834 2m.14 2m.26 0.12 5.73248 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/DM)  
R Ori Orion Hind, 1848 9m.05 13m.4 4.35 377 d Mira variable (M)  
U Ori Orion   4m.8 13m.0 8.5 368 d Mira variable (M)  
W Ori Orion   8m.2 (p) 12m.4 (p) 4.2 212 d Semiregular (SRB)  
VV Ori Orion   5m.31 5m.66 0.35 1.48538 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/KE:)  
CK Ori Orion   5m.9 7m.1 1.2 ~120 d Semiregular (SR:)  
κ Pav Pavo   3m.91 4m.78 0.87 9.09423 d Type II Cepheid (CW)  
S Pav Pavo   6m.6 10m.4 3.8 381 d Semiregular (SRA)  
β Peg (Scheat) Pegasus Schmidt, 1847 2m.31 2m.74 0.43 LB  
ε Peg (Enif) Pegasus 0m.7 3m.5 2.8 LC  
R Peg Pegasus Hind, 1848 6m.9 13m.8 6.9 378 d Mira variable (M)  
X Peg Pegasus   8m.8 14m.4 5.8 201 d Mira variable (M)  
β Per (Algol) Perseus Geminiano Montanari, 1669 2m.12 3m.39 1.27 2.86730 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/SD) (prototype) The Demon Star
DY Persei Perseus R Coronae Borealis / DY Persei / (prototype)
φ Per Perseus   3m.96 4m.11 0.15 19.5 d Gamma Cassiopeiae (GCAS)  
ρ Per Perseus   3m.30 4m.0 0.70 ~50 d Semiregular (SRB)  
X Per Perseus   6m.03 7m.0 0.97 Gamma Cassiopeiae (GCAS+XP)  
ζ Phe (Wurren) Phoenix   3m.91 4m.42 0.51 1.66977 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/DM)  
R Pic Pictor   6m.35 10m.1 3.75 171 d Semiregular (SR)  
R Psc Pisces Hind, 1850 7m.0 14m.8 7.8 345 d Mira variable (M)  
TX Psc Pisces   4m.79 5m.20 0.42 LB  
L2 Pup Puppis   2m.6 6m.2 3.6 141 d Semiregular (SRB)  
RS Pup Puppis   6m.52 7m.67 1.15 41.3876 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
T Pyx Pyxis   7m.0 (B) 15m.77 (B) 8.77 (20 years) recurrent nova (NR)  
S Scl Sculptor   5m.5 13m.6 8.1 363 d Mira variable (M)  
RR Sco Scorpius   5m.0 12m.4 7.4 281 d Mira variable (M)  
RS Sco Scorpius   6m.2 13m.0 6.8 320 d Mira variable (M)  
RT Sco Scorpius   7m.0 15m.2 8.2 449 d Mira variable (M)  
R Sct Scutum Pigott, 1795 4m.2 8m.6 4.4 146.5 d RV Tauri variable (RVA)  
R Ser Serpens Harding, 1826 5m.16 14m.4 9.24 356 d Mira variable (M)  
S Ser Serpens Harding, 1828 7m.0 14m.1 7.1 372 d Mira variable (M)  
U Sge Sagitta   6m.45 9m.28 2.83 3.38062 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/SD)  
WZ Sge Sagitta   7m.0 (B) 15m.53 (B) 8.53 (33 years) dwarf nova (UGSU+E+ZZ)  
RR Sgr Sagittarius   5m.4 14m.0 8.6 336 d Mira variable (M)  
R Sgr Sagittarius   6m.7 12m.83 6.13 270 d Mira variable (M)  
U Sgr Sagittarius(in M25)   6m.28 7m.15 0.87 6.74523 d Classical Cepheid (DCEP)  
RT Sgr Sagittarius   6m.0 14m.1 8.1 306 d Mira variable (M)  
RU Sgr Sagittarius   6m.0 13m.8 7.8 240 d Mira variable (M)  
RY Sgr Sagittarius   5m.8 14m.0 8.2 R Coronae Borealis (RCB)  
VX Sgr Sagittarius   6m.52 14m.0 7.08 732 d Semiregular (SRC)  
λ Tau Taurus Baxendell, 1848 3m.37 3m.91 0.54 3.95295 d Eclipsing binary Algol type (EA/DM)  
R Tau Taurus Hind, 1849 7m.6 15m.8 8.2 321 d Mira variable (M)  
T Tau Taurus   9m.3 13m.5 4.2 Orion variable (INT)  
SU Tau Taurus   9m.1 16m.86 7.76 R Coronae Borealis (RCB)  
R Tri Triangulum   5m.4 12m.6 7.2 267 d Mira variable (M)  
R UMa Ursa Major   6m.5 13m.7 7.2 302 d Mira variable (M)  
T UMa Ursa Major   6m.6 13m.5 6.9 257 d Mira variable (M)  
U UMa Ursa Major   6m.20 6m.25 0.05 -
W UMa Ursa Major   7m.75 8m.48 0.73 0.3336 d Eclipsing binary W Ursae Majoris type (prototype)    
Z UMa Ursa Major   6m.2 9m.4 3.2 196 d Semiregular (SRB)  
α UMi (Polaris) Ursa Minor   1m.86 2m.13 0.27 3.9696 d Classical Cepheid (DCEPS)  
R Vir Virgo Harding, 1809 6m.1 12m.1 6.0 146 d Mira variable (M)  
S Vir Virgo   6m.3 13m.2 6.9 375 d Mira variable (M)  

Notes

  1. Samus', N. N.; Kazarovets, E. V.; Durlevich, O. V.; Kireeva, N. N.; Pastukhova, E. N. (2017). "General catalogue of variable stars: Version GCVS 5.1". Astronomy Reports. 61 (1): 80. Bibcode:2017ARep...61...80S. doi:10.1134/S1063772917010085.
  2. (visual magnitude, unless marked (B) (= blue) or (p) (= photographic))
  3. (visual magnitude, unless marked (B) (= blue) or (p) (= photographic))

References

See also

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