In the sky, rather than a king, Cepheus seems to resemble a church with a steeple or perhaps an Alpine ski lodge with a steep, snow-shedding roof. This dim stellar outline is best seen on moonless transparent nights as it wheels high above the celestial pole at this time of year.

Located just below the foundation of the church or ski lodge is the star Mu Cephei, sometimes also known as Erakis, and christened by William Herschel as "The Garnet Star."

(Magnitude is the standard by which astronomers measure the apparent brightness of objects that appear in the sky. The lower the number, the brighter the object. The brightest stars in the sky are categorized as zero or first magnitude.)

But it’s the color that makes Mu Cephei a standout. According to Richard Hinckley Allen in his classic work "Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning," Mu is one of the deepest colored stars visible to the naked eye. But like its brightness, its color too can appear to vary. Most of the time it appears a deep orange-red, but on occasion it has seemed to take on a weird purplish tint.

It’s indeed a pity that The Garnet Star -- as some call it -- is not just a bit brighter. Still, with careful scrutiny its ruddy cast is apparent even to the unaided eye on a dark night. And it’s stunning in good binoculars.