Brightest Stars in the Night Sky
Name↕ | Rank↕ | Visual magnitude (mV)↕ | Proper name↕ | Bayerdesignation↕ | Distance (ly)↕ | Spectral type↕ | Celestial Hemisphere↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sirius | 1 | 0.001−1.46 | Sirius | α Canis Majoris | 8.6 | A0mA1 Va, DA2 | Southern |
Canopus | 2 | 0.003−0.74 | Canopus | α Carinae | 310 | A9 II | Southern |
Rigil Kentaurus& Toliman | 3 | 0.004−0.27 (0.01 + 1.33) | Rigil Kentaurus& Toliman | α Centauri | 4.34 | G2 V, K1 V | Southern |
Arcturus | 4 | 0.005−0.05 | Arcturus | α Boötis | 37 | K0 III | Northern |
Vega | 5 | 0.03 (−0.02–0.07var) | Vega | α Lyrae | 25 | A0 Va | Northern |
Capella | 6 | 0.08 (0.03–0.16var) | Capella | α Aurigae | 43 | K0 III, G1 III | Northern |
Rigel | 7 | 0.13 (0.05–0.18var) | Rigel | β Orionis | 860 | B8 Ia | Southern |
Procyon | 8 | 0.34 | Procyon | α Canis Minoris | 11 | F5 IV-V | Northern |
Achernar | 9 | 0.46 (0.40–0.46var) | Achernar | α Eridani | 140 | B3 Vpe | Southern |
Betelgeuse | 10 | 0.50 (0.0–1.6var) | Betelgeuse | α Orionis | 640 | M1-M2 Ia-ab | Northern |
Hadar | 11 | 0.61 | Hadar | β Centauri | 390 | B1 III | Southern |
Altair | 12 | 0.76 | Altair | α Aquilae | 17 | A7 V | Northern |
Acrux | 13 | 0.76 (1.33 + 1.73) | Acrux | α Crucis | 320 | B0.5 IV, B1 V | Southern |
Aldebaran | 14 | 0.86 (0.75–0.95var) | Aldebaran | α Tauri | 65 | K5 III | Northern |
Antares | 15 | 0.96 (0.6–1.6var) | Antares | α Scorpii | 550 | M1.5 Iab-Ib, B2.5 V | Southern |
Spica | 16 | 0.97 (0.97–1.04var) | Spica | α Virginis | 250 | B1 III-IV, B2 V | Southern |
Pollux | 17 | 1.14 | Pollux | β Geminorum | 34 | K0 III | Northern |
Fomalhaut | 18 | 1.16 | Fomalhaut | α Piscis Austrini | 25 | A3 V | Southern |
Deneb | 19 | 1.25 (1.21–1.29var) | Deneb | α Cygni | 2,600 | A2 Ia | Northern |
Mimosa | 20 | 1.25 (1.23–1.31var) | Mimosa | β Crucis | 280 | B0.5 III, B2 V | Southern |
Regulus | 21 | 1.39 | Regulus | α Leonis | 79 | B8 IVn | Northern |
Adhara | 22 | 1.50 | Adhara | ε Canis Majoris | 430 | B2 II | Southern |
Castor | 23 | 1.58 (1.93 + 2.97) | Castor | α Geminorum | 51 | A1 V, Am | Northern |
Shaula | 24 | 1.63 | Shaula | λ Scorpii | 570 | B2 IV | Southern |
Gacrux | 25 | 1.64 | Gacrux | γ Crucis | 89 | M3.5 III | Southern |
Bellatrix | 26 | 1.64 | Bellatrix | γ Orionis | 250 | B2 III | Northern |
Elnath | 27 | 1.65 | Elnath | β Tauri/γ Aurigae | 130 | B7 III | Northern |
Miaplacidus | 28 | 1.69 | Miaplacidus | β Carinae | 110 | A1 III | Southern |
Alnilam | 29 | 1.69 (1.64–1.74var) | Alnilam | ε Orionis | 1,180 | B0 Ia | Southern |
Alnair | 30 | 1.74 | Alnair | α Gruis | 100 | B6 V | Southern |
Alnitak | 31 | 1.77 | Alnitak | ζ Orionis | 1,300 | O9.5 Iab, B1 IV, B0 III | Southern |
Alioth | 32 | 1.77 | Alioth | ε Ursae Majoris | 83 | A1 III-IVp kB9 | Northern |
Dubhe | 33 | 1.79 | Dubhe | α Ursae Majoris | 120 | K0 III, F0 V | Northern |
Mirfak | 34 | 1.82 | Mirfak | α Persei | 510 | F5 Ib | Northern |
Wezen | 35 | 1.82 | Wezen | δ Canis Majoris | 1,800 | F8 Ia | Southern |
– | 36 | 1.83 (1.81–1.87var + 4.27) | – | γ Velorum | 840 | WC8, O7.5III | Southern |
Sargas | 37 | 1.84 | Sargas | θ Scorpii | 330 | F0 II | Southern |
Kaus Australis | 38 | 1.85 | Kaus Australis | ε Sagittarii | 140 | B9.5 III | Southern |
Avior | 39 | 1.86 | Avior | ε Carinae | 600 | K3 III, B2 Vp | Southern |
Alkaid | 40 | 1.86 | Alkaid | η Ursae Majoris | 100 | B3 V | Northern |
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