Facts about Cetus Constellation
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NGC 246, a planetary nebula within Cetus Constellation, measures approximately 4 light-years in diameter and was first catalogued by William Herschel in 1785.
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Cetus Constellation spans 1,231 square degrees, making it the fourth-largest constellation in Earth's night sky by total area.
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In Greek mythology, Cetus Constellation represents a sea monster sent by Poseidon, featuring in the legend of Andromeda and Perseus from ancient Mediterranean cultures.
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Cetus contains Deneb Kaitos, a blue-white star approximately 96 light-years from Earth and the brightest star in the constellation's region.
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Tau Ceti, located 11.9 light-years away in Cetus Constellation, is one of the nearest star systems to Earth and a primary target in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence program.
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The star Mira in Cetus Constellation completes a full brightness cycle every 332 days, making it the first known variable star documented by astronomers in 1596.