A modern constellation invented by chart maker Petrus Kaerius in 1613 to fill the void between the Auriga and Ursa Minor.  It didn't gain widespread acceptance until after it was published in a book by Johann Kepler's son-in-law, Jakob Bartsch in 1624.  In his illustrations though, he pictured it not as a giraffe, but as the biblical camel that brought Rebecca to Isaac, as told in Genesis 24.

Interesting Items

Variable-No-More Star  RU Cam - An "R" class star that used to be a Cepheid variable.  When it was first discovered in 1907 it had 22 day period, and a range of about 1 magnitude.  By 1965 its variability had ceased, and has remained constant since.  There are no other cases of this type!  Surprising though as this may seem, it's in accordance with theory, a Cepheid's variability only lasts for a few hundred thousand years.  We just happened to be at the right place at the right time to witness its transition!.

Variable Star  S Cam - A class "R" Variable star.  Ranges in brightness from 8^th to 10^th magnitude over a period of 326 days.  It's last maximum was this past December.

Triple Stars  ß Cam The two brighter stars make an easy, wide pair of a yellow and blue stars embedded in a dark nebula embedded in the Milky Way.

Deep Sky Objects
     NGC 1501 A planetary nebula resembling the Eskimo nebula.  It's size is about 1' and is about 12^th magnitude.  It's estimated to be 4,238 LY distant.

     NGC 1502 An irregular open cluster.  On good nights this is visible in binoculars.

     NGC 2403 The first galaxy outside our local group in which Cepheids were discovered.  Its apparent size is 16'x10' and is approximately 8^th magnitude, making it easy prey for binoculars.  Estimates for it's distance vary from 8 to 11 million light years.  It's believed to be part of the M81 group. 

     IC 342  This galaxy used to be considered as part of the Local Group, but is now believed to have been ejected with four others, and is part of the Dwingeloo Group.   That ejection is believed to be the cause of it's warped disk.  Because it lies very close to the galactic plane, obscuring dust has interfered with its study.  The best estimates make this fellow to be about 10 million LY distant.  It's one of the largest galaxies in apparent size at 21' and is about 9th magnitude.