|
Table
of Contents
Evolution
of Stars
30
Bright Stars
30 Nearest Stars
Questions
Intro
to Astronomy
Misconceptions
Archaeoastronomy
Equitorial Coordinates
Understanding the Seasons
Time & Its Measurement
Telescopes
Solar
& Lunar Eclipses
The
Solar System
The
Earth
The
Moon
Mecury,
Venus, Mars
The
Outer Planets
Solar
System Debris
The
Sun
Intersteller
Matter
Sky
Literacy
|
|
30 of the Brightest Stars
|
Star
|
Rank
|
Name
|
Apparent Magnitude (m)
|
Absolute Magnitude (M)
|
Distance (light yrs)
|
Spectral Type
|
|
Sun
|
|
|
-26.7
|
+4.8
|
8.3 light min
|
G2
|
|
Alpha CMa
|
(1)
|
Sirius
|
-1.46
|
+1.4
|
8.8
|
A1
|
|
Alpha Car
|
(2)
|
Canopus
|
-0.73
|
-3.6
|
20
|
F0
|
|
Alpha Cen
|
(3)
|
|
0.0
|
+4.4
|
4.2
|
G2
|
|
Alpha Boo
|
(4)
|
Arcturus
|
-0.04
|
-0.2
|
36
|
K1
|
|
Alpha Lyr
|
(5)
|
Vega
|
+0.03
|
+0.5
|
26
|
A0
|
|
Alpha Aur
|
(6)
|
Capella
|
+0.08
|
-0.6
|
46
|
G0/G5*
|
|
Beta Ori
|
(7)
|
Rigel
|
+0.12
|
-7.0
|
900
|
B8
|
|
Alpha CMi
|
(8)
|
Procyon
|
+0.38
|
+2.7
|
11
|
F5
|
|
Alpha Eri
|
(9)
|
Achernar
|
+0.46
|
-1.6
|
85
|
B5
|
|
Alpha Ori
|
(10)
|
Betelgeuse
|
+0.5 var
|
-5.9
|
600
|
M2
|
|
Beta Cen
|
(11)
|
Hadar
|
+0.61
|
-5.1
|
450
|
B1
|
|
Alpha Aql
|
(12)
|
Altair
|
+0.77
|
+2.2
|
16
|
A7
|
|
Alpha Tau
|
(13)
|
Aldebaran
|
+0.85
|
-0.8
|
70
|
K5
|
|
Alpha Sco
|
(15)
|
Antares
|
+0.96
|
-4.7
|
500
|
M1
|
|
Alpha Vir
|
(16)
|
Spica
|
+0.97
|
-3.1
|
220
|
B1/B3*
|
|
Beta Gem
|
(17)
|
Pollux |
+1.14
|
+1.0
|
35
|
K0
|
|
Alpha PsA
|
(18)
|
Fomalhaut |
+1.16
|
+2.0
|
23
|
A3
|
|
Alpha Cyg
|
(19)
|
Deneb |
+1.25
|
-7.3
|
1600
|
A2
|
|
Alpha Leo
|
(21)
|
Regulus |
+1.33
|
-0.8
|
85
|
B7
|
|
Alpha Gem
|
(22)
|
Castor
|
+1.6
|
+0.8
|
46
|
A1*
|
|
Gamma Ori
|
|
Bellatrix |
+1.64
|
-3.8
|
400
|
B2
|
|
Alpha UMa
|
|
Dubhe
|
+1.79
|
-0.6
|
90
|
K0
|
|
Delta CMa
|
|
Al Wazor |
+1.86
|
-7.1
|
2100
|
F8
|
|
Alpha UMi
|
|
Polaris |
+2.02
|
-3.6
|
550
|
F8
|
|
Alpha And
|
|
Alpheratz |
+2.06
|
-0.8
|
120
|
B9
|
|
Kappa Ori
|
|
Saiph
|
+2.06
|
-6.0
|
1250
|
B0
|
|
Beta UMi
|
|
Kochab |
+2.08
|
-0.8
|
110
|
K5
|
| Zeta UMa |
|
Mizar |
+2.1
|
0.0
|
85
|
A2*
|
| Beta Leo |
|
Denebola
|
+2.14
|
+0.6
|
42
|
A3
|
m - M = 5 log (d / 10) where d is in parsecs (1 parsec = 3.26 light
years)
* - Binary of multiple star system in which the second component contributes
much of the light of the system
|
