There are over 41,638 known variable stars (2008), 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) | Apparent magnitude (Minimum) | Period | Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R And | Andromeda | 5m.8 | 14m.9 | 409 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| S And (Supernova 1885) | Andromeda | Ernst Hartwig, August 20, 1885 | 5m.8 | <16m | - | Supernova (SNI) | |
| U Ant | Antlia | 8m.1 (p) | 9m.7 (p) | - | LB-star | ||
| θ Aps | Apus | 6m.4 (p) | 8m.6 (p) | 119 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| η Aql | Aquila | Pigott, 1784 | 3m.48 | 4m.39 | 7.17664 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | |
| R Aql | Aquila | 5m.5 | 12m.0 | 284 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| V Aql | Aquila | 6m.6 | 8m.4 | 353 d | Semiregular variable (SRB) | ||
| R Aqr | Aquarius | Karl Ludwig Harding, 1811 | 5m.8 | 12m.4 | 387 d | Mira variable (M) | |
| T Aqr | Aquarius | 7m.2 | 14m.2 | 202 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| U Ara | Ara | 7m.7 | 14m.1 | 225 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| R Ari | Aries | 7m.4 | 13m.7 | 187 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| U Ari | Aries | 7m.2 | 15m.2 | 371 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| ε Aur | Auriga | J.H. Fritsch, 1821 | 2m.92 | 3m.83 | 27.08 years | Algol variable (EA/GS) | |
| R Aur | Auriga | 6m.7 | 13m.9 | 458 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| AE Aur | Auriga | 5m.78 | 6m.08 | - | Orion variable (INA) | ||
| R Boo | Boötes | 6m.2 | 13m.1 | 223 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| W Boo | Boötes | 4m.73 | 5m.4 | ~450 d | Semiregular (SRB:) | ||
| X Cam | Camelopardalis | 7m.4 | 14m.2 | 144 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| VZ Cam | Camelopardalis | 4m.80 | 4m.96 | 23.7 d | Semiregular variable (SR) | ||
| R Cap | Capricornus | Hind, 1848 | 9m.4 | 14m.9 | 345 d | Mira variable (M) | |
| η Car | Carina | Burchell, 1827 | -0m.8 | 7m.9 | - | S Doradus (SDOR) | "The unpredictable supergiant" |
| l Car | Carina | 3m.28 | 4m.18 | 35.53584 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | ||
| R Car | Carina | 3m.9 | 10m.5 | 309 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| S Car | Carina | 4m.5 | 9m.9 | 149 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| γ Cas | Cassiopeia | 1m.6 | 3m.0 | - | Gamma Cassiopeiae (GCAS) | ||
| R Cas | Cassiopeia | 4m.7 | 13m.5 | 430 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| S Cas | Cassiopeia | 7m.9 | 16m.1 | 612 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| W Cas | Cassiopeia | 7m.8 | 12m.5 | 406 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| WZ Cas | Cassiopeia | 6m.3 | 8m.5 | - | Semiregular variable (SRB) | Visual double star, visible through binoculars | |
| R Cen | Centaurus | 5m.3 | 11m.8 | 546 d | Mira variable (M) | ||
| S Cen | Centaurus | 9m.2 (p) | 10m.7 (p) | 65 d | Semiregular variable (SR) | ||
| T Cen | Centaurus | 5m.5 | 9m.0 | 90.44 d | Semiregular variable (SRA) | ||
| V645 Cen (Proxima Centauri) | Centaurus | 12m.1 (B) | 13m.12 (B) | - | UV Ceti (UV) | ||
| δ Cep | Cepheus | John Goodricke, 1784 | 3m.48 | 4m.37 | 5.36634 d | prototype Cepheid (DCEP) | double star, visible in binoculars |
| μ Cep | Cepheus | William Herschel, 1782 | 3m.43 | 5m.1 | 730 d | Semiregular variable (SRC) | |
| S Cep | Cepheus | 7m.4 | 12m.9 | 487 d | Mira (M) | ||
| T Cep | Cepheus | 5m.2 | 11m.3 | 388 d | Mira (M) | ||
| U Cep | Cepheus | 6m.75 | 9m.24 | 2.49305 d | Algol type (EA/SD) | ||
| SS Cep | Cepheus | 8m.0 (p) | 9m.1 (p) | 90 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| AR Cep | Cepheus | 7m.0 | 7m.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 | 332 d | Mira (M) | "The miraculous" |
| T Cet | Cetus | 5m.0 | 6m.9 | 159 d | Semiregular (SRC) | ||
| U Cet | Cetus | 6m.8 | 13m.4 | 235 d | Mira (M) | ||
| W Cet | Cetus | 7m.1 | 14m.8 | 351 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R Cha | Chamaeleon | 7m.5 | 14m.2 | 335 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R CMa | Canis Major | 5m.70 | 6m.34 | 1.13594 d | Algol type (EA/SD) | ||
| VY CMa | Canis Major | 6m.5 | 9m.6 | - | unique (*) | ||
| FW CMa | Canis Major | 5m.00 | 5m.50 | - | Gamma Cassiopeiae (GCAS) | ||
| S CMi | Canis Minor | 6m.6 | 13m.2 | 333 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R Cnc | Cancer | 6m.07 | 11m.8 | 362 d | Mira (M) | ||
| S Cnc | Cancer | Hind, 1848 | 8m.29 | 10m.25 | 9.48455 d | Algol type (EA/DS) | |
| T Cnc | Cancer | Hind, 1850 | 7m.6 | 10m.5 | 482 d | Semiregular (SRB) | |
| X Cnc | Cancer | 5m.6 | 7m.5 | ~195 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| T Col | Columba | 6m.6 | 12m.7 | 226 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R Com | Coma Berenices | 7m.1 | 14m.6 | 363 d | Mira (M) | ||
| α CrB (Alphecca or Gemma) | Corona Borealis | 2m.21 (B) | 2m.32 (B) | 17.35991 d | Algol type (EA/DM) | ||
| R CrB | Corona Borealis | Pigott, 1795 | 5m.71 | 14m.8 | - | R Coronae Borealis (RCB) | |
| S CrB | Corona Borealis | 5m.8 | 14m.1 | 360 d | Mira (M) | ||
| T CrB | Corona Borealis | 2m.0 | 10m.8 | (80 years) | recurrent nova (NR) | ||
| U CrB | Corona Borealis | 7m.66 | 8m.79 | 3.45220 d | Algol type (EA/SD) | ||
| V CrB | Corona Borealis | 6m.9 | 12m.6 | 358 d | Mira (M) | ||
| W CrB | Corona Borealis | 7m.8 | 14m.3 | 238 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R Cru | Crux | 6m.40 | 7m.23 | 5.82575 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | ||
| R Crv | Corvus | 6m.7 | 14m.4 | 317 d | Mira (M) | ||
| χ Cyg | Cygnus | Kirch, 1686 | 3m.3 | 14m.2 | 408 d | Mira (M) | |
| R Cyg | Cygnus | 6m.1 | 14m.4 | 426 d | Mira (M) | ||
| U Cyg | Cygnus | 5m.9 | 12m.1 | 463 d | Mira (M) | ||
| W Cyg | Cygnus | 6m.80 (B) | 8m.9 (B) | 131 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| X Cyg | Cygnus | 5m.85 | 6m.91 | 16.38633 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | ||
| RT Cyg | Cygnus | 6m.0 | 13m.1 | 190 d | Mira (M) | ||
| SS Cyg | Cygnus | 7m.7 | 12m.4 | (49.5 d) | UGSS prototype | ||
| SU Cyg | Cygnus | 6m.44 | 7m.22 | 3.84555 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | ||
| CH Cyg | Cygnus | 5m.60 | 8m.49 | - | Z Andromedae (ZAND+SR) | ||
| R Del | Delphinus | 7m.6 | 13m.8 | 285 d | Mira (M) | ||
| U Del | Delphinus | 7m.6 (p) | 8m.9 (p) | ~110 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| EU Del | Delphinus | 5m.79 | 6m.9 | 59.7 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| β Dor | Dorado | 3m.46 | 4m.08 | 9.8426 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | ||
| S Dor | Dorado | 8m.6 (B) | 11m.5 (B) | - | SDOR prototype | in the Large Magellanic Cloud | |
| R Dra | Draco | 6m.7 | 13m.2 | 246 d | Mira (M) | ||
| T Eri | Eridanus | 7m.2 | 13m.2 | 252 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R For | Fornax | 7m.5 | 13m.0 | 389 d | Mira (M) | ||
| η Gem | Gemini | 3m.15 | 3m.9 | 233 d | Semiregular (SRA+EA) | ||
| ζ Gem | Gemini | 3m.62 | 4m.18 | 10.15073 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | ||
| R Gem | Gemini | Hind, 1848 | 6m.0 | 14m.0 | 370 d | Mira (M) | |
| S Gem | Gemini | Hind, 1848 | 8m.0 | 14m.7 | 293 d | Mira (M) | |
| T Gem | Gemini | Hind, 1848 | 8m.0 | 15m.0 | 288 d | Mira (M) | |
| U Gem | Gemini | 8m.2 | 14m.9 | (105.2 d) | dwarf nova (UGSS+E) | ||
| S Gru | Grus | 6m.0 | 15m.0 | 402 d | Mira (M) | ||
| α Her | Hercules | William Herschel, 1759 | 2m.74 | 4m.0 | - | Semiregular (SRC) | |
| g Her (30 Her) | Hercules | 4m.3 | 6m.3 | 89.2 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| u Her (68 Her) | Hercules | 4m.69 | 5m.37 | 2.05103 d | Algol type (EA/SD) | ||
| S Her | Hercules | 6m.4 | 13m.8 | 307 d | Mira (M) | ||
| U Her | Hercules | 6m.4 | 13m.4 | 406 d | Mira (M) | ||
| X Her | Hercules | 7m.5 (p) | 8m.6 (p) | 95.0 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| R Hor | Horologium | 4m.7 | 14m.3 | 408 d | Mira (M) | ||
| U Hor | Horologium | 7m.8 (p) | <15m.1 (p) | 348 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R Hya | Hydra | Maraldi, 1704 | 3m.5 | 10m.9 | 389 d | Mira (M) | |
| S Hya | Hydra | Hind, 1848 | 7m.2 | 13m.3 | 257 d | Mira (M) | |
| U Hya | Hydra | 7m.0 (B) | 9m.4 (B) | ~450 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| VW Hya | Hydra | 10m.5 | 14m.1 | 2.69642 d | Algol type (EA/SD) | ||
| BL Lac | Lacerta | 12m.4 (B) | 17m.2 (B) | - | 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 | 310 d | Mira (M) | |
| R Lep | Lepus | 5m.5 | 11m.7 | 427 d | Mira (M) | Hind's Crimson Star | |
| RX Lep | Lepus | 5m.0 | 7m.4 | ~60 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| R LMi | Leo Minor | 6m.3 | 13m.2 | 372 d | Mira (M) | ||
| RU Lup | Lupus | 9m.6 (p) | 13m.4 (p) | - | Orion variable (INT) | ||
| β Lyr | Lyra | John Goodricke, 1784 | 3m.25 | 4m.36 | 12.91383 d | EB prototype | |
| R Lyr | Lyra | 3m.88 | 5m.0 | ~46 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| RR Lyr | Lyra | 7m.06 | 8m.12 | 0.566868 d | prototypical RR Lyrae variable | ||
| U Mic | Microscopium | 7m.0 | 14m.4 | 334 d | Mira (M) | ||
| U Mon | Monoceros | 6m.1 (p) | 8m.8 (p) | 91.3 d | RV Tauri (RVB) | ||
| V Mon | Monoceros | 6m.0 | 13m.9 | 341 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R Nor | Norma | 6m.5 (p) | 13m.9 (p) | 508 d | Mira (M) | ||
| T Nor | Norma | 6m.2 | 13m.6 | 241 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R Oct | Octans | 6m.4 | 13m.2 | 405 d | Mira (M) | ||
| S Oct | Octans | 7m.2 | 14m.0 | 259 d | Mira (M) | ||
| V Oph | Ophiuchus | 7m.3 | 11m.6 | 297 d | Mira (M) | ||
| X Oph | Ophiuchus | 5m.9 | 9m.2 | 329 d | Mira (M) | ||
| RS Oph | Ophiuchus | 4m.3 | 12m.5 | - | recurrent nova (NR) | ||
| BF Oph | Ophiuchus | 6m.93 | 7m.71 | 4.06775 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | ||
| α Ori (Betelgeuse) | Orion | John Herschel, 1840 | 0m.0 | 1m.3 | 6.39 years | Semiregular (SRC) | |
| δ Ori (Mintaka) | Orion | John Herschel, 1834 | 2m.14 | 2m.26 | 5.73248 d | Algol type (EA/DM) | |
| R Ori | Orion | Hind, 1848 | 9m.05 | 13m.4 | 377 d | Mira (M) | |
| U Ori | Orion | 4m.8 | 13m.0 | 368 d | Mira (M) | ||
| W Ori | Orion | 8m.2 (p) | 12m.4 (p) | 212 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| VV Ori | Orion | 5m.31 | 5m.66 | 1.48538 d | Algol type (EA/KE:) | ||
| CK Ori | Orion | 5m.9 | 7m.1 | ~120 d | Semiregular (SR:) | ||
| κ Pav | Pavo | 3m.91 | 4m.78 | 9.09423 d | Cepheid (CEP) | ||
| S Pav | Pavo | 6m.6 | 10m.4 | 381 d | Semiregular (SRA) | ||
| β Peg | Pegasus | Schmidt, 1847 | 2m.31 | 2m.74 | - | LB | |
| R Peg | Pegasus | Hind, 1848 | 6m.9 | 13m.8 | 378 d | Mira (M) | |
| X Peg | Pegasus | 8m.8 | 14m.4 | 201 d | Mira (M) | ||
| β Per (Algol) | Perseus | Geminiano Montanari, 1669 | 2m.12 | 3m.39 | 2.86730 d | Algol type (EA/SD) | The Demon Star |
| DY Persei | Perseus | DY Persei / R Coronae Borealis | |||||
| φ Per | Perseus | 3m.96 | 4m.11 | 19.5 d | Gamma Cassiopeiae (GCAS) | ||
| ρ Per | Perseus | 3m.30 | 4m.0 | ~50 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| X Per | Perseus | 6m.03 | 7m.0 | - | Gamma Cassiopeiae (GCAS+XP) | ||
| ζ Phe | Phoenix | 3m.91 | 4m.42 | 1.66977 d | Algol type (EA/DM) | ||
| R Pic | Pictor | 6m.35 | 10m.1 | 171 d | Semiregular (SR) | ||
| R Psc | Pisces | Hind, 1850 | 7m.0 | 14m.8 | 345 d | Mira (M) | |
| TX Psc | Pisces | 4m.79 | 5m.20 | - | LB | ||
| L2 Pup | Puppis | 2m.6 | 6m.2 | 141 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| RS Pup | Puppis | 6m.52 | 7m.67 | 41.3876 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | ||
| T Pyx | Pyxis | 7m.0 (B) | 15m.77 (B) | (20 years) | Recurrent nova (NR) | ||
| S Scl | Sculptor | 5m.5 | 13m.6 | 363 d | Mira (M) | ||
| RR Sco | Scorpius | 5m.0 | 12m.4 | 281 d | Mira (M) | ||
| RS Sco | Scorpius | 6m.2 | 13m.0 | 320 d | Mira (M) | ||
| RT Sco | Scorpius | 7m.0 | 15m.2 | 449 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R Sct | Scutum | Pigott, 1795 | 4m.2 | 8m.6 | 146.5 d | RV Tauri (RVA) | |
| R Ser | Serpens | Harding, 1826 | 5m.16 | 14m.4 | 356 d | Mira (M) | |
| S Ser | Serpens | Harding, 1828 | 7m.0 | 14m.1 | 372 d | Mira (M) | |
| U Sge | Sagitta | 6m.45 | 9m.28 | 3.38062 d | Algol type (EA/SD) | ||
| WZ Sge | Sagitta | 7m.0 (B) | 15m.53 (B) | (33 years) | dwarf nova (UGSU+E+ZZ) | ||
| RR Sgr | Sagittarius | 5m.4 | 14m.0 | 336 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R Sgr | Sagittarius | 6m.7 | 12m.83 | 270 d | Mira (M) | ||
| U Sgr | Sagittarius(in M25) | 6m.28 | 7m.15 | 6.74523 d | Cepheid (DCEP) | ||
| RT Sgr | Sagittarius | 6m.0 | 14m.1 | 306 d | Mira (M) | ||
| RU Sgr | Sagittarius | 6m.0 | 13m.8 | 240 d | Mira (M) | ||
| RY Sgr | Sagittarius | 5m.8 | 14m.0 | - | R Coronae Borealis (RCB) | ||
| VX Sgr | Sagittarius | 6m.52 | 14m.0 | 732 d | Semiregular (SRC) | ||
| λ Tau | Taurus | Baxendell, 1848 | 3m.37 | 3m.91 | 3.95295 d | Algol type (EA/DM) | |
| R Tau | Taurus | Hind, 1849 | 7m.6 | 15m.8 | 321 d | Mira (M) | |
| T Tau | Taurus | 9m.3 | 13m.5 | - | Orion variable (INT) | ||
| SU Tau | Taurus | 9m.1 | 16m.86 | - | R Coronae Borealis (RCB) | ||
| R Tri | Triangulum | 5m.4 | 12m.6 | 267 d | Mira (M) | ||
| R UMa | Ursa Major | 6m.5 | 13m.7 | 302 d | Mira (M) | ||
| T UMa | Ursa Major | 6m.6 | 13m.5 | 257 d | Mira (M) | ||
| U UMa | Ursa Major | 6m.20 | 6m.25 | - | - | ||
| Z UMa | Ursa Major | 6m.2 | 9m.4 | 196 d | Semiregular (SRB) | ||
| α UMi (Polaris) | Ursa Minor | 1m.86 | 2m.13 | 3.9696 d | Cepheid (DCEPS) | ||
| R Vir | Virgo | Harding, 1809 | 6m.1 | 12m.1 | 146 d | Mira (M) | |
| S Vir | Virgo | 6m.3 | 13m.2 | 375 d | Mira (M) |
Famous quotes containing the words list of, list, variable and/or stars:
“A man’s interest in a single bluebird is worth more than a complete but dry list of the fauna and flora of a town.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“I made a list of things I have
to remember and a list
of things I want to forget,
but I see they are the same list.”
—Linda Pastan (b. 1932)
“There is not so variable a thing in nature as a lady’s head-dress.”
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719)
“It is the stars,
The stars above us, govern our conditions.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)