List of brightest stars

This is a list of the brightest naked eye stars to +2.50 magnitude, as determined by their maximum, total or combined apparent visual magnitudes as seen from Earth. Although several of the brightest stars are also known close binary or multiple star systems, they do appear to the naked eye as single stars. The given list below combines/adds the magnitudes of bright individual components. Proper names in this list are those approved by the Working Group on Star Names of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and listed in the IAU's Catalog of Star Names.

Measurement

Apparent visual magnitudes of the brightest star can also be compared to non-stellar objects in our Solar System. Here the maximum visible magnitudes above the brightest star, Sirius (−1.46), are as follows. Excluding the Sun, the brightest objects are the Moon (−12.7), Venus (−4.89), Jupiter (−2.94), Mars (−2.91), Mercury (−2.45), and Saturn (−0.49).

Any exact order of the visual brightness of stars is not perfectly defined for a number of reasons:

• Stellar brightness were traditionally based on the apparent visual magnitude as perceived by the human eye, from the brightest stars of 1st magnitude to the faintest at 6th magnitude. Since the invention of the telescope and the discovery of double or binary stars meant that star brightness could be expressed as either individual (separate) or total (combined). The table is ordered by combined magnitude of all components that appear to the naked eye as if it were a single star, with the magnitudes of any individual components bright enough to make a detectable contribution included in parentheses. For example, the total or combined magnitude of the double star Alpha Centauri is −0.27, while its two component stars have magnitudes of +0.01 and +1.33.^[1]
• New or more accurate photometry, standard filters, or adopting differing methods using standard stars can measure stellar magnitudes slightly differently. This can change the apparent order of lists of bright stars. The table shows V magnitudes, which are measured using a specific filter that closely approximates human vision. However, other kinds of magnitude systems do exist based on different wavelengths, some well away from the distribution of the visible wavelengths of light, and apparent magnitudes can vary dramatically in the different systems.^[2] For example, Betelgeuse has a K-band (infra-red) apparent magnitude of −4.05.^[3]
• Some stars, like Betelgeuse and Antares, are variable stars, changing their magnitude over days, months or years. In the table, the range of variation is indicated with var. Single magnitude values quoted for variable stars come from a variety of sources. Magnitudes are expressed within the table are when the stars are either at maximum brightness, which is repeated for every cycle. I.e. The eclipsing binary Algol, or if the variations are small, as a simple average magnitude. For all red variable stars, describing a single maximum brightness is often difficult because each cycle produces a different maximum brightness, which is thought to be caused but poorly understood pulsations in stellar evolution processes. Such quoted stellar brightness is sometimes based on the average maximum apparent magnitude ^[4] from estimated maximums over many observed light-curve cycles, sometimes spanning across centuries. Results often quoted in the literature are not necessarily straight forward and may differ in expressing an alternate value for a singular maximum brightness or as a range of values.
• A number of stars, thought to be non-variable, are used as standard stars and their magnitudes are carefully determined. These standard stars can then be used as comparisons to determine the magnitude of other stars on a consistent scale.^[5]

Main table of the brightest stars

The source of magnitudes cited in this list is the linked Wikipedia articles - this basic list is simply a catalog of what Wikipedia itself documents. References can be found in the individual articles.

V Mag. (mV)	Proper name	Bayer designation	Distance (ly)	Spectral class
−26.74	Sun		0.000 015 813	G2 V
−1.46	Sirius	α CMa	8.6	A1 V, DA2
−0.74	Canopus	α Car	310	A9 II
−0.27 (0.01 + 1.33)	Rigil Kentaurus	α Cen	4.4	G2 V, K1 V
−0.05	Arcturus	α Boo	37	K0 III
0.03 (−0.02 - 0.07var)	Vega	α Lyr	25	A0 Va
0.08 (0.03 - 0.16var)	Capella	α Aur	42	K0 III, G1 III
0.13 (0.05 - 0.18var)	Rigel	β Ori	860	B8 Ia
0.34	Procyon	α CMi	11	F5 IV-V
0.46 (0.40 - 0.46var)	Achernar	α Eri	140	B6 Vep
0.50 (0.2 - 1.2var)	Betelgeuse	α Ori	640[6]	M2 Iab
0.61	Hadar	β Cen	350	B1 III
0.76	Altair	α Aql	17	A7 V
0.76 (1.33 + 1.73)	Acrux	α Cru	320	B0.5 IV, B1 V
0.86 (0.75 - 0.95var)	Aldebaran	α Tau	65	K5 III
0.96 (0.6 - 1.6var)	Antares	α Sco	600	M1.5 Iab, B3 V
0.97 (0.97 - 1.04var)	Spica	α Vir	260	B1 III-IV, B2 V
1.14	Pollux	β Gem	34	K0 III
1.16	Fomalhaut	α PsA	25	A3 V
1.25 (1.21 - 1.29var)	Deneb	α Cyg	2,600	A2 Ia
1.25 (1.23 - 1.31var)	Mimosa	β Cru	350	B0.5 II, B2 V
1.39	Regulus	α Leo	77	B7 V
1.50	Adhara	ε CMa	430	B2 Iab:
1.62	Shaula	λ Sco	700	B2 IV
1.62 (1.98 + 2.97)	Castor	α Gem	52	Am, A1 V
1.64	Gacrux	γ Cru	88	M3.5 III
1.64	Bellatrix	γ Ori	240	B2 III
1.65	Elnath	β Tau	130	B7 III
1.69	Miaplacidus	β Car	110	A1 III
1.69 (1.64 - 1.74var)	Alnilam	ε Ori	2,000	B0 Ia
1.72 (1.81 - 1.87var + 4.27)	–	γ^1,2 Vel	840	WC8, O7.5e
1.74	Alnair	α Gru	100	B7 IV
1.77	Alioth	ε UMa	81	A1 III-IVp kB9
1.77	Alnitak	ζ Ori A	820	O9.7 Ib, O9 III, B0 II-IV
1.79	Dubhe	α UMa	120	G9 III, A7.5
1.80	Mirfak	α Per	590	F5 Ib
1.82	Wezen	δ CMa	1,800	F8 Ia
1.84	Sargas	θ Sco	270	F0 II
1.85	Kaus Australis	ε Sgr	140	B9.5 III
1.86	Avior	ε Car	630	K3 III, B2 Vp
1.86	Alkaid	η UMa	100	B3 V
1.90 (1.89 - 1.94var)	Menkalinan	β Aur	100	A1mIV+A1mIV
1.91	Atria	α TrA	420	K2 IIb-IIIa
1.92	Alhena	γ Gem	100	A1.5 IV+
1.94	Peacock	α Pav	180	B2 IV
1.96 (1.99 - 2.39var + 5.57)	–	δ Vel	80	A1 Va(n), F2-F5
1.98	Mirzam	β CMa	500	B1 II-III
2.00	Alphard	α Hya	180	K3 II-III
1.98 (1.86 - 2.13var)	Polaris	α UMi	430	F8 Ib
2.00	Hamal	α Ari	66	K1 IIIb
2.08 (2.37 + 3.64)	Algieba	γ^1 Leo	130	K0 III, G7 IIIb
2.02	Diphda	β Cet	96	K0 III
2.05	Nunki	σ Sgr	220	B2.5 V
2.06	Menkent	θ Cen	61	K0 III
2.05 (2.01 - 2.10var)	Mirach	β And	200	M0III
2.06	Alpheratz	α And	97	B8 IV
2.07	Rasalhague	α Oph	47	A5 V
2.08	Kochab	β UMi	130	K4 III
2.09	Saiph	κ Ori	720	B0 Iab:
2.11	Denebola	β Leo	36	A3 Va
2.12 (2.1 - 3.39var)	Algol	β Per	93	B8 V
2.15 (2.0 - 2.3var)	–	β Gru	170	M5 III
2.17	–	γ Cen	130	A1IV, (A0III/A0III)
2.21	Aspidiske	ι Car	690	A9 Ib
2.21 (2.14 - 2.30var)	Suhail	λ Vel	570	K4.5 Ib-II
2.23 (2.21 - 2.32var)	Alphecca	α CrB	75	A0 V, G5 V
2.23 (2.23 - 2.35var)	Mintaka	δ Ori	900	B0 III, O9 V
2.23	Sadr	γ Cyg	1,500	F8 Ib
2.23	Eltanin	γ Dra	150	K5 III
2.24	Schedar	α Cas	230	K0 IIIa
2.25	Naos	ζ Pup	1,100	O4 If(n)p
2.26	Almach	γ And	350	K3 IIb, B9.5 V, B9.5 V, A0 V
2.27	Mizar	ζ^1 UMa	78	A2 Vp, A2 Vp, A1m, A5 V
2.28 (2.25 - 2.31var)	Caph	β Cas	54	F2 III
2.29	Izar	ε Boo	202	K0 II-III, A2 V
2.30 (2.29 - 2.34var)	–	α Lup	550	B1.5 III
2.30 (2.29 - 2.31var)	–	ε Cen	380	B1III
2.31 (1.6 - 2.32var)	Dschubba	δ Sco	400	B0.3 IV
2.31	–	ε Sco	65	K1 III
2.35 (2.30 - 2.41var)	–	η Cen	310	B1.5Vne
2.37	Merak	β UMa	79	A1 IVps
2.38	Ankaa	α Phe	77	K0.5 IIIb
2.39	–	κ Sco	460	B1.5 III
2.40 (0.7 - 3.0var)	Enif	ε Peg	670	K2 Ib
2.42 (2.31 - 2.74var)	Scheat	β Peg	200	M2.5 II-IIIe
2.43	Sabik	η Oph	49	A1 V, A3 V
2.44	Phecda	γ UMa	84	A0Ve
2.45	Aludra	η CMa	2,000[7]	B5 Ia
2.46	–	κ Vel	540	B2 IV
2.47 (1.6 - 3.0var)	–	γ Cas	610	B0.5 IVpe
2.48	Markab	α Peg	140	B9 III
2.48	–	ε Cyg	72	K0 III-IV
2.50	Acrab	β Sco	404	B1V, B2V

See also

• 88 modern constellations by area
• Historical brightest stars: the brightest star in Earth's night sky at each period within the last or next 5 million years
• List of largest stars
• List of most luminous stars
• List of nearest bright stars
• List of nearest galaxies
• List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs
• Lists of constellations
• Lists of stars
• Lists of stars by constellation
• Stars and planetary systems in fiction

Notes

References

1. Hoffleit, Dorrit; Jaschek, Carlos (1991). "The Bright star catalogue". New Haven. Bibcode:1991bsc..book.....H.
2. Bessell, Michael S. (2005). "Standard Photometric Systems". Annual Review of Astronomy & Astrophysics. 43: 293. Bibcode:2005ARA&A..43..293B. doi:10.1146/annurev.astro.41.082801.100251.
3. Ducati, J. R. (2002). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Catalogue of Stellar Photometry in Johnson's 11-color system". CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues. 2237. Bibcode:2002yCat.2237....0D.
4. "Macmillan Dictionary of Astronomy (Illingworth, Valerie, 1985)". Dictionary Series (Second ed.). Springer. p. 237. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
5. Landolt, Arlo U. (2009). "UBVRI Photometric Standard Stars Around the Celestial Equator: Updates and Additions". The Astronomical Journal. 137 (5): 4186. arXiv:0904.0638. Bibcode:2009AJ....137.4186L. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/137/5/4186.
6. Harper, Graham M.; Brown, Alexander; Guinan, Edward F. (April 2008). "A New VLA-Hipparcos Distance to Betelgeuse and its Implications". The Astronomical Journal. IOP Publishing. 135 (4,): 1430–1440. Bibcode:2008AJ....135.1430H. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/135/4/1430.
7. van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007). "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 474 (2): 653–664. arXiv:0708.1752. Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357.

External links

• 25 Brightest Stars, as Seen from the Earth
• The Brightest Stars at An Atlas of the Universe
• The Magnitude system
• About stellar magnitudes