The 25 Brightest Stars
Heaven's utmost deep
Gives up her stars, and like a flock of sheep
They pass before his eye, are number'd, and roll on.
P. B. Shelley, Prometheus Unbound
(speaking of the astronomer's work)
After the Sun, which is the brightest star in our sky, the next brightest stars are listed below. (For comparison, the Sun is a G-2 (yellow) star about 8 light-minutes away, magnitude -26.72.)
What is apparent stellar Magnitude?
What is Right
Ascension?
What is Declination?
|
Number * Goto star projector |
Star |
Constellation |
Magnitude |
Right |
Declination |
Type |
Distance |
|
1* |
Sirius |
-1.46 |
6h 42m |
-16° 39m |
A1 (blue-white) |
8.7 | |
|
2* |
Canopus |
a Carinae |
-0.72 |
6h 22m |
-52° 40m |
A9 (yellow-white) |
74 |
|
3* |
Arcturus |
a Bootis |
-0.04 |
14h 15m |
+19 |
K2 (orange-red) |
34 |
|
4 |
NA |
a Centauri |
-0.01 |
14h 40m |
-61 |
G2 yellow |
4.3 |
|
5 |
Vega |
a Lyrae |
0.03 |
18h 36m |
+39 |
A0 (white) |
25 |
|
6* |
Capella |
a Aurigae |
0.08 |
5h 16m |
+46 |
G6 (yellow) |
41 |
|
7* |
Rigel |
b Orionis |
0.12 |
5h 14m |
-8 |
B8 (blue-white) |
900? |
|
8 |
Procyon |
0.38 |
7h 39m |
+5 |
F5 (yellow-white) |
11.4 | |
|
9* |
Betelgeuse |
a Orionis |
0.41 |
5h 54m |
+7 |
M2 (red) |
520? |
|
10 |
Achernar |
a Eridani |
0.46 |
1h 37m |
-57 |
B3 (blue-white) |
69 |
|
11 |
Hadar |
b Centauri |
0.63 |
14h 03m |
-60 |
B1 (blue) |
320? |
|
12 |
Altair |
a Aquilae |
0.77 |
19h 50m |
+9 |
A7 (white) |
16.5 |
|
13* |
Aldebaran |
a Tauri |
0.85 |
4h 35m |
+16 |
K5 (orange-red) |
60 |
|
14 |
Antares |
a Scorpii |
0.92v |
16h 28m |
-26 |
M1 (red) |
520? |
|
15 |
Spica |
a Virginis |
1.0 |
13h 24m |
-11 |
B1 (blue-white) |
220 |
|
16 |
Pollux |
1.14 |
7h 45m |
+28 |
K0 (orange-red) |
40 | |
|
17 |
Fomalhaut |
a Piscis |
1.16 |
22h 57m |
-30 |
A3 (white) |
22.6 |
|
18 |
Deneb |
a Cygni |
1.25 |
20h 41m |
+45 |
A2 (white) |
1600? |
|
19 |
NA |
b Crucis |
1.28 |
12h 47m |
-60 |
B0.5 (blue-white) |
460? |
|
20 |
NA |
a Crucis |
1.39 |
12h 26m |
-63 |
B0.5 (blue-white) |
510? |
|
21 |
Regulus |
a Leonis |
1.35 |
10h 07m |
+12 |
B7 (blue-white) |
69 |
|
22 |
Adhara |
1.50 |
6h 58m |
-29 |
B2 (blue-white) |
570? | |
|
23 |
Shaula |
l Scorpii |
1.60 |
17h 33m |
-37 |
B1 (bule-white) |
330 |
|
24 |
Bellatrix |
g- Orionis |
1.64 |
5h 24m |
+6 |
B2 (blue-white) |
1400? |
|
25 |
Elnath |
b Tauri |
1.65 |
5h 26m |
+29 |
B7 (blue-white) |
140 |