Estrella Polar vs Schedar
Two classes of the Harvard sequence lie between Estrella Polar and Schedar, an F-type star and a K-type star in Cassiopeia. Seen from Earth the ranking is Estrella Polar first at +1.97, Schedar second at +2.24. Intrinsically the balance shifts: Estrella Polar carries an absolute magnitude of −3.64 against −1.98 for Schedar, making it about 4.6 times more luminous once distance is removed from the comparison. Distance divides them sharply — 433 light-years to Estrella Polar against 228 for Schedar.
Property comparison
| Property | Estrella Polar | Schedar |
|---|---|---|
| Designación | 1Alp UMi | 18Alp Cas |
| Constelación | N/A | Cassiopeia |
| Clase Espectral | Class F — F-type (Yellow-White) | Class K — K-type (Orange) |
| Magnitud Aparente | +1.97 | +2.24 |
| Magnitud Absoluta | -3.64 | -1.98 |
| Distancia | 433 ly | 228 ly |
| Masa | N/A | N/A |
| Radio | N/A | N/A |
| Temperatura | N/A | N/A |
| Luminosidad | N/A | N/A |
Full data for each star: Estrella Polar · Schedar
Key differences
Key Differences
- ◆ Both are bright northern circumpolar stars useful for orientation near the north celestial pole.
- ◆ Polaris (F-type Cepheid) is currently ~0.7° from the true north pole; Schedar is the brightest star in the W-shaped Cassiopeia.
- ◆ Schedar is a K-type orange giant at ~228 light-years; Polaris is an F-type supergiant at ~431 light-years.
- ◆ Cassiopeia (containing Schedar) and Ursa Minor (containing Polaris) are on opposite sides of the pole.
- ◆ As the pole precesses, Schedar will become a closer pole star in the distant future.