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:
“Every morning I woke in dread, waiting for the day nurse to go on her rounds and announce from the list of names in her hand whether or not I was for shock treatment, the new and fashionable means of quieting people and of making them realize that orders are to be obeyed and floors are to be polished without anyone protesting and faces are to be made to be fixed into smiles and weeping is a crime.”
—Janet Frame (b. 1924)
“Thirty—the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning brief-case of enthusiasm, thinning hair.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)
“Walked forth to ease my pain
Along the shore of silver streaming Thames,
Whose rutty bank, the which his river hems,
Was painted all with variable flowers,”
—Edmund Spenser (1552?–1599)
“It is the stars,
The stars above us, govern our conditions.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)