List of 7 Brightest Stars in the Sky
In this article, we’re discussing the seven brightest stars visible from Earth, offering both time-tested techniques and tech-savvy tips for locating them. Whether you're using a star map or a handy app like Star Walk 2, you’ll soon be able to navigate the sky like a pro. Ready to start your celestial adventure? Let’s go!
Contents
- What type of star is the brightest?
- How to measure the brightness of a star
- 7 brightest stars: to sum up
Brightest stars as seen from Earth
We'll introduce you to seven of the brightest stars (magnitude 0.1 or brighter) and the constellations they belong to. Check out the pictures for tips on how to locate these stars using star-hopping techniques – a fun, hands-on way of navigating the night sky by using other celestial objects as reference points. This “old-school” method isn’t just entertaining, it’s surprisingly practical! There’s something really cool about spotting Sirius or Vega with the help of other stars and asterisms.
And it’s even more amazing when you pull out your phone, open Star Walk 2, and instantly view an interactive sky map. Point your phone at the sky and watch as it labels all the stars, constellations, and planets you see. Both options give you a fascinating experience – it’s up to you which one to choose!
The brightest star in the sky: Sun
- Apparent magnitude: -26.74
- Star type: yellow dwarf, G2
- Distance from us: 0.00001581 light-years (8.3 light-minutes)
Based on the apparent magnitude, the Sun is the brightest star as viewed from the Earth. However, we should note that not all lists of the brightest stars include the Sun since many of them consider only the stars observable in the night sky. Thus, they designate Sirius as the brightest star.
While it’s hard to miss the Sun in the sky, it's important to note that looking directly at the Sun without proper protection can cause permanent damage to your eyesight. We recommend using certified solar filters for viewing, as homemade filters or regular sunglasses aren’t safe enough.
Second brightest star: Sirius — the brightest star in the night sky
- Apparent magnitude: -1.46
- Star type: binary star system
- Distance from us: 8.6 light-years
- Constellation: Canis Major
- Seen from: 75°N - 90°S
The second brightest star, Sirius, has an apparent magnitude of -1.46 and is visible worldwide. This dazzling star is located in the constellation Canis Major; it is the Alpha star of this constellation. Sirius is about 8.6 light-years away from us, which is much closer than the next member of our list.
Sirius is, in fact, not an individual star but a system of two stars: Sirius A (main sequence star, A0) and Sirius B (white dwarf, DA2). In the sky, it appears to flash blue, white, and red. This effect is caused by the refraction of starlight in Earth's atmosphere: the turbulent air splits apart Sirius’ white light, sending different colors (wavelengths) to our eyes. Along with Procyon from Canis Minor and Betelgeuse from Orion, Sirius comprises an asterism known as the Winter Triangle. It also marks one of the corners of the Winter Hexagon.
Third brightest star: Canopus
- Apparent magnitude: -0.74
- Star type: supergiant, A9
- Distance from us: 310 light-years
- Constellation: Carina
- Seen from: 37°N - 90°S
The brilliant Canopus or Alpha Carinae is the third brightest star in the night sky. This star shines at a visual magnitude of -0.74 in the constellation Carina, which is best visible in the Southern Hemisphere. Canopus is placed further than any other star in this list — about 310 light-years away from the Sun!
Canopus is a yellowish-white star, well-known to the Bedouin people of the Negev and Sinai. They used Canopus, along with Polaris, as the two main stars for night navigation. However, because Canopus dips below the horizon in those regions, it came to be associated with changeability, in contrast to the always-visible Polaris, which remains circumpolar and symbolizes steadiness.
Fourth brightest star: Arcturus
- Apparent magnitude: -0.1
- Star type: red giant, K1.5III
- Distance from us: 37 light-years
- Constellation: Bootes
- Seen from: 90°N - 60°S
The fourth brightest star is Arcturus, the main member of the Bootes constellation. Having an apparent magnitude of -0.05, Arcturus is best visible in the winter sky from the Northern Hemisphere. This orange giant is placed about 37 light-years away.
Arcturus appears more reddish compared to the white or blue-white stars in the sky. Together with Spica from Virgo and Regulus (or Denebola, depending on the source) from Leo, they form the Spring Triangle asterism. When combined with Cor Caroli from Canes Venatici, these four stars create the Great Diamond pattern.
Fifth brightest star: Alpha Centauri
- Apparent magnitude: 0.0
- Star type: triple star system
- Distance from us: 4.4 light-years
- Constellation: Centaurus
- Seen from: 29°N - 90°S
Alpha Centauri is a closer yet a bit fainter star that got fifth place in the list. It’s actually a star system consisting of three components: Alpha Centauri A (Rigil Kentaurus), Alpha Centauri B (Toliman), and Alpha Centauri C (Proxima Centauri). A and B form a binary pair, orbiting each other, while C is a red dwarf located just a fifth of a light-year away from the other two. Of the three, Alpha Centauri A is the brightest (mag. 0.0), and Alpha Centauri C is the closest star to Earth after the Sun.
Sixth brightest star: Vega
- Apparent magnitude: 0.03
- Star type: main sequence, A0Va
- Distance from us: 25 light-years
- Constellation: Lyra
- Seen from: 90°N - 51°S
Vega,that takes sixth place, is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Lyra and also a part of the Summer Triangle asterism. This star lies 25 light-years away from our Solar System. Vega was taken as a “zero value” to reference the other star magnitudes, but this isn’t the case anymore — further studies measured its magnitude as 0.03. For the visual observations, Vega still can be used as the zero point, but for more advanced observations, an elaborate calibration system is used.
Seventh brightest star: Capella
- Apparent magnitude: 0.1
- Star type: quadruple star system
- Distance from us: 43 light-years
- Constellation: Auriga
- Seen from: 90°N - 44°S
The last member of our list is Capella — the seventh brightest star in the entire sky. Although it appears as a single rich-yellow star, Capella is actually a quadruple star system composed of two binary pairs: Capella A (two yellow giants: Capella Aa and Capella Ab) and Capella H and L – two faint red dwarf stars.
You can observe all the stars mentioned above (and more!) with Star Walk 2. Just point your device up and tap the brightest dots you see on the screen. If you want to find a particular star or a space object, use the magnifier icon in the screen’s lower-left corner.
What type of star is the brightest?
There are several reasons why some stars look brighter than others. First, stars appear different because they are at different distances from us. Stars closer to Earth tend to look brighter than those farther away.
Another reason stars differ in brightness is their size. Our Sun is a medium-sized star in the “main sequence” phase of its life, meaning it's not particularly large in the context of the universe. However, there are giant and supergiant stars that are much bigger and brighter than the Sun. To learn more about how stars evolve and change size over time, check out the infographic on the life cycle of stars.
One more factor is a star’s temperature: hotter stars shine brighter. We can tell a star's temperature by its color. Blue stars are the hottest, followed by white, yellow, orange, and red.
To categorize this scientifically, astronomers use a star's “spectral type”, marked by a letter and a number from 0 to 9. The letters, from hottest to coolest, are O, B, A, F, G, K, and M. The numbers break them into smaller groups. For example, our Sun is a G2.
How to measure the brightness of a star
Astronomers measure the brightness of stars, planets, and other space objects using a magnitude scale. There are two types of magnitude — apparent and absolute. Apparent (or visual) magnitude is the brightness of an object as it appears in the night sky from the Earth. Apparent magnitude depends on an object's intrinsic luminosity, distance, and other factors reducing its brightness. The lower its apparent magnitude, the brighter an object appears to observers. Space bodies with negative magnitude numbers are exceptionally bright.
Absolute magnitude is the apparent magnitude an object would have if it were located at a distance of 10 parsecs. For example, the apparent magnitude of the Sun is -26.7 — it’s the brightest celestial object we can see from the Earth. However, if the Sun were 10 parsecs away, its apparent magnitude would be only 4.7. By considering stars at a fixed distance, astronomers can compare the real — intrinsic — brightnesses of different stars.
Magnitude measurement obstacles
The exact order of the brightest stars can’t be perfectly defined since there are some obstacles:
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First of all, traditionally, stellar brightness is based on the apparent visual magnitude perceived by the human eye. After the invention of telescopes, astronomers proved the existence of double stars and multiple star systems. Nowadays, stellar brightness could be expressed as either individual or combined magnitude. For example, the double star Alpha Centauri AB has a combined visual magnitude of -0.27, while its two components have magnitudes of 0.01 and 1.33.
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New technologies can measure stellar magnitudes slightly differently — this may change the brightest stars’ order. Also, scientists developed different kinds of magnitude systems based on different wavelengths, so apparent magnitude values can vary dramatically.
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There are variable stars, like Betelgeuse or Antares — they’re changing their magnitude over days, months, or years. Usually, to exactly define an apparent magnitude, you should take either the repeated maximum brightness or a simple average magnitude.
7 brightest stars: to sum up
The seven brightest stars seen from Earth are the Sun, Sirius, Canopus, Arcturus, Alpha Centauri, Vega, and Capella. Arcturus, Vega, and Capella are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere, while Canopus and Alpha Centauri are better observed from the Southern Hemisphere. Sirius is visible almost everywhere except for latitudes north of 75°N. All of these stars are bright enough to be spotted with the naked eye, and they can be easily located using other stars as reference points or with the help of an astronomy app like Star Walk 2.
More bright stars & where to find them
The first seven brightest stars are just the starting point! Let’s raise the bar by diving into the 15 brightest stars in the sky. Plus, don't miss our quick guide to the starry sky, packed with essential stars and asterisms that will help you easily navigate the night.
7 brightest constellations
Also, check the list of the 7 most prominent constellations. With the useful tips and vivid illustrations provided in this infographic, you will easily identify the most famous constellations.
We wish you clear skies and happy observations!
