Beta Cephei is called Alfirk: "Herd".

Beta Cephei is a blue giant with an eighth-magnitude companion 13.6" away at 250º. It is also the prototype of an important class of pulsating variables, although the variations are too small for naked eye or binocular appreciation.

The star is part of a curious little asterism that looks like a dipper without the handle (in spring upside down): binoculars.

To find alpha, move two fields of view south of beta. Putting alpha on the western edge brings in several more stars of interest: binoculars.