capella

Capella is a name that refers to several distinct subjects in astronomy, education, technology, and music.

In astronomy, Capella (Alpha Aurigae) is the brightest star in the northern constellation Auriga. It is a quadruple star system about 42.9 light-years from Earth, with a combined magnitude around 0.08, making it one of the brightest objects in the night sky. The system comprises two binary pairs, Capella Aa–Ab and Capella Ba–Bb, each containing evolved giant stars. The name derives from Latin capella, meaning “little she‑goat.”

In education, Capella University is a for‑profit online university based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It offers bachelor’s through doctoral degrees primarily through online programs and is part of Strategic Education, Inc.

In science and industry, Capella Space is a U.S. company that operates a constellation of small SAR satellites to provide on‑demand earth imagery for commercial and government customers. Capella also names an open‑source model‑based systems engineering tool that implements the Arcadia method, used to model and design complex systems.

In music, a cappella refers to vocal music performed without instrumental accompaniment. The term comes from Italian for “in chapel,” and is sometimes misspelled as capella in historical or informal contexts.