List of brightest stars

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Bright stars are bright because they have high luminosities and/or they are nearby. Below are the 90 brightest individual stars as seen from Earth in visible wavelengths (apparent magnitude less than or equal to +2.50). The number of observable stars increases rapidly as the magnitude increases[1], so a more inclusive list would be long indeed. The sky has been mapped almost completely up to +11 in visible wavelengths, and continuing surveys are cataloging much fainter objects.

The exact order of this list is not completely well-defined because of the following reasons:

  • Multiple stars are listed individually here when the magnitude difference between them is less than five. Some other lists report the brightness of all the component stars combined. For example, the combined magnitude for Alpha Centauri is −0.27 (3rd), Capella is 0.08 (6th), and Acrux is 0.77 (13th).
  • There are statistical variations in measured values.
  • Some stars are actually variable stars (as indicated with var).
  V Magnitude Bayer Designation Proper name Distance (ly) External link
0 −26.73   Sun (Sol) 0.000 016
1 −1.47 α CMa Sirius 8.6 Sirius on SIMBAD
2 −0.72 α Car Canopus 310 Canopus on SIMBAD
3 −0.04 var α Boo Arcturus 37 Arcturus on SIMBAD
4 −0.01 α1 Cen Alpha Centauri A 4.4 Alpha Centauri A on SIMBAD
5 0.03 α Lyr Vega 25 Vega on SIMBAD
6 0.112 β Ori Rigel 770 Rigel on SIMBAD
7 0.34 α CMi Procyon 11 Procyon on SIMBAD
8 0.50 α Eri Achernar 140 Achernar on SIMBAD
9 0.58 var α Ori Betelgeuse 430 Betelgeuse on SIMBAD
10 0.60 β Cen Hadar (Agena) 530 Hadar (Agena) on SIMBAD
11 0.71 α1 Aur Capella A 42 Capella A on SIMBAD
12 0.77 α Aql Altair 17 Altair on SIMBAD
13 0.85 var α Tau Aldebaran 65 Aldebaran on SIMBAD
14 0.96 α2 Aur Capella B 42 Capella B on SIMBAD
15 1.04 α Vir Spica 260 Spica on SIMBAD
16 1.09 α Sco Antares 600 Antares on SIMBAD
17 1.15 β Gem Pollux 34 Pollux on SIMBAD
18 1.16 α PsA Fomalhaut 25 Fomalhaut on SIMBAD
19 1.25 α Cyg Deneb 3200 Deneb on SIMBAD
20 1.30 β Cru Mimosa 350 Mimosa on SIMBAD
21 1.33 α2 Cen Alpha Centauri B 4.4 Alpha Centauri B on SIMBAD
22 1.35 α Leo Regulus 77 Regulus on SIMBAD
23 1.40 α1 Cru Acrux A 320 Acrux A on SIMBAD
24 1.51 ε CMa Adara 430 Adara on SIMBAD
25 1.62 λ Sco Shaula 700 Shaula on SIMBAD
26 1.63 γ Cru Gacrux 88 Gacrux on SIMBAD
27 1.64 γ Ori Bellatrix 240 Bellatrix on SIMBAD
28 1.68 β Tau El Nath 130 El Nath on SIMBAD
29 1.70 β Car Miaplacidus 110 Miaplacidus on SIMBAD
30 1.70 ε Ori Alnilam 1300 Alnilam on SIMBAD
31 1.70 ζ1 Ori Alnitak A 820 Alnitak A on SIMBAD
32 1.74 α Gru Al Na'ir 100 Al Na'ir on SIMBAD
33 1.76 ε UMa Alioth 81 Alioth on SIMBAD
34 1.78 γ12 Vel Gamma2 Velorum A 840 Gamma2 Velorum on SIMBAD
35 1.80 ε Sgr Kaus Australis 140 Kaus Australis on SIMBAD
36 1.82 α Per Mirfak 590 Mirfak on SIMBAD
37 1.84 δ CMa Wezen 1800 Wezen on SIMBAD
38 1.85 η UMa Benetnasch (Alkaid) 100 Benetnasch (Alkaid) on SIMBAD
39 1.86 θ Sco Sargas 270 Sargas on SIMBAD
40 1.87 α1 UMa Dubhe A 120 Dubhe on SIMBAD
41 1.90 γ Gem Alhena 100 Alhena on SIMBAD
42 1.91 α Pav Peacock 180 Peacock on SIMBAD
43 1.92 α TrA Atria 420 Atria on SIMBAD
44 1.96 α1 Gem Castor A 52 Castor A on SIMBAD
45 1.98 β CMa Murzim 500 Murzim on SIMBAD
46 2.00 α Hya Alphard 180 Alphard on SIMBAD
47 2.00 α Ari Hamal 66 Hamal on SIMBAD
48 2.01 var α UMi Polaris 430 Polaris on SIMBAD
49 2.03 δ1 Vel Delta Velorum A 80 Delta Velorum on SIMBAD
50 2.04 β Cet Deneb Kaitos 96 Deneb Kaitos on SIMBAD
51 2.05 κ Ori Saiph 720 Saiph on SIMBAD
52 2.06 σ Sgr Nunki 220 Nunki on SIMBAD
53 2.06 θ Cen Menkent 61 Menkent on SIMBAD
54 2.06 α And Alpheratz 97 Alpheratz on SIMBAD
55 2.06 β And Mirach 200 Mirach on SIMBAD
56 2.08 β UMi Kochab 130 Kochab on SIMBAD
57 2.09 α2 Cru Acrux B 320 Acrux B on SIMBAD
58 2.10 α Oph Ras Alhague 47 Ras Alhague on SIMBAD
59 2.12 var β Per Algol 93 Algol on SIMBAD
60 2.13 β Gru Beta Gruis 170 Beta Gruis on SIMBAD
61 2.14 β Leo Denebola 36 Denebola on SIMBAD
62 2.21 ζ Pup Naos 1400 Zeta Puppis on SIMBAD
63 2.23 λ Vel Lambda Velorum 570 Lambda Velorum on SIMBAD
64 2.23 γ Dra Etamin 150 Etamin on SIMBAD
65 2.24 α1 CrB Gemma A / Alphecca A 75 Alphecca on SIMBAD
66 2.24 γ Cyg Sadr 1500 Sadr on SIMBAD
67 2.25 α Cas Schedar 230 Schedar on SIMBAD
68 2.25 ι Car Aspidiske 690 Aspidiske on SIMBAD
69 2.26 γ1 And Almach A 350 Almach on SIMBAD
70 2.27 ζ1 UMa Mizar A 78 Mizar A on SIMBAD
71 2.27 β Cas Caph 54 Caph on SIMBAD
72 2.27 ε Cen Epsilon Centauri 380 Epsilon Centauri on SIMBAD
73 2.28 γ1 Leo Algieba A 130 Algieba on SIMBAD
74 2.28 α Lup Alpha Lupi 550 Alpha Lupi on SIMBAD
75 2.29 δ Sco Dschubba 400 Dschubba on SIMBAD
76 2.29 ε Sco Wei 65 Wei on SIMBAD
77 2.32 η Cen Eta Centauri 310 Eta Centauri on SIMBAD
78 2.35 β UMa Merak 79 Merak on SIMBAD
79 2.37 α Phe Ankaa 77 Ankaa on SIMBAD
80 2.38 κ Sco Girtab 460 Girtab on SIMBAD
81 2.39 γ Cas Gamma Cassiopeiae 610 Gamma Cassiopeiae on SIMBAD
82 2.40 ε Peg Enif 670 Enif on SIMBAD
83 2.40 η CMa Aludra 3200 Aludra on SIMBAD
84 2.4 ε1 Car Avior A 630 Avior on SIMBAD
85 2.42 β Peg Scheat 200 Scheat on SIMBAD
86 2.43 γ UMa Phecda 84 Phecda on SIMBAD
87 2.44 α Cep Alderamin 49 Alderamin on SIMBAD
88 2.46 κ Vel Kappa Velorum 540 Kappa Velorum on SIMBAD
89 2.49 α Peg Markab 140 Markab on SIMBAD
90 2.50 ε Cyg Gienah 72 Gienah on SIMBAD

[edit] See also

[edit] External links