Generalities: it is a northern constellation that doesn't show any bright  stars. Its transit at  midnight takes place in August.

Origins and mythology: this constellation belongs to the most  original ones and it represents the  mythological figure of king Cepheus, husband of Cassiopea and father of Andromeda. These three constellations are in fact close to each other in the sky.

Stars: the star that is closer to Cepheus is of magnitude 2.44 and is the only of magnitude inferior to 3.  Other seven stars of  magnitude inferior to 4 are present . The star delta Cephei is variable and is the founder of a family of varying stars, called  Cefeidi. In Cepheus the reddest star of the northern sky is present: it is mu Cephei,  also called "the purple star".

Table of stars brighter than magnitude 3.5
 

Star	Proper name	Magnitude	Spectrum	Color	Distance (light-years)	Notes
Alpha		2.44	A7	white	46
Gamma	Alrai	3.21	K1	orange	52
Beta	Alderamin	3.23 (variabie)	B2	blue	750
Zeta		3.35	K1	orange	720
Eta		3.43	K0	orange	46

Other objects: it shows  some quite interesting open clusters.
 

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