1. A prominent constellation of the northern hemisphere, named for the mother of Andromeda.

It has a distinctive W-shape, and contains one of the most powerful radio sources in the sky, Cassiopeia A.

This is the remains of a supernova (star explosion) that occurred about A.D. 1702, too far away to be seen from earth.

2. Etymology: from Latin Cassiepa, Cassiopa, which came from Greek Kassiepeia, Cassiopeia, daughter of Cepheus and Andromeda, who was changed into a constellation of the northern hemisphere containing a spiral galaxy, Andromeda Galaxy, that can be seen with the naked eye.