Cepheid variable

![Cepheid variables illustration (red dots) at the center of the Milky Way.[7]](/uploads/202501/03/VISTA_finds_hidden_feature_of_Milky_Way3923.jpg)
- Cepheids redirects here. For the fictional species, see "Blind Alley".
A Cepheid variable (/ˈsɛfiːɪd/ or /ˈsiːfiːɪd/) is a type of star that pulsates radially, varying in both temperature and diameter to produce brightness changes with a well-defined stable period and amplitude.
A strong direct relationship between a Cepheid variable's luminosity and pulsation period secures for Cepheids their status as important distance indicators for establishing the galactic and extragalactic distance scales.