Perseus is a beautiful group of stars in the Milky Way. The constellation was named for a mythical Greek hero, the son of Zeus, who beheaded the wicked Medusa. A glance from Medusa would have turned him to stone, but he was aided by Mercury and Minerva. The ancient Greeks believed the constellation to be Perseus holding the severed head of Medusa.
Though not easy to find, Perseus is visible with a small telescope. It is seen in the northern sky in December and January, and reaches from Cassiopeia to Taurus. The star Algol, visible to the naked eye, is actually a double star. The light shed by Algol is variable, caused by the revolving of the dim star around the bright star every three days, producing a partial eclipse.
A telescope will reveal many variously colored star clusters in the constellation. About August 10th the famous meteor shower, the Perseids, can be seen.
