The 20 Brightest Stars in the Night Sky
Sky Map
Celestial bearing and elevation at 18:15
This interactive sky map shows the positions of the brightest celestial objects from your location. Move it horizontally to follow how their positions change through the night.
Explore the brightest stars visible from Earth and open each card for current position, magnitude and observing details.
Many of these stars are visible to the naked eye, even with moderate light pollution. Use the live sky map to find them from your location.
Many of these stars are visible to the naked eye, even with moderate light pollution. Use the live sky map to find them from your location.
Sirius
Star
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, a binary star system located in the constellation Canis Major. Its brilliant white light is easily visible from Earth.
Vega
Star
Vega, the fifth brightest star, is part of the constellation Lyra. It is one of the most luminous stars visible from Earth and a prominent member of the Summer Triangle asterism.
Capella
Star
Capella, the sixth brightest star, is a yellow giant located in the constellation Auriga. Its brightness and close proximity to the celestial north pole make it easily identifiable.
Rigel
Star
Rigel, the seventh brightest star, is a blue supergiant in the constellation Orion. It is one of the most massive and luminous stars visible to the naked eye.
Procyon
Star
Procyon, the eighth brightest star, is a binary system in the constellation Canis Minor. Its name means 'before the dog' as it rises just before Sirius, the 'Dog Star'.
Betelgeuse
Star
Betelgeuse, the tenth brightest star, is a red supergiant in the constellation Orion. It is one of the largest known stars and exhibits noticeable variability in brightness.
Altair
Star
Altair is a bright white star located in the constellation Aquila. It is one of the closest stars visible to Earth and forms one vertex of the prominent Summer Triangle asterism.
Aldebaran
Star
Aldebaran is an orange giant star situated in the constellation Taurus. Its name means 'the follower' as it appears to follow the Pleiades star cluster across the sky.
Pollux
Star
Pollux is part of the Gemini twins, a bright yellow-orange giant star. It is one of the two brightest stars in the constellation Gemini, easily visible to the naked eye.
Deneb
Star
Deneb is part of the Summer Triangle, one of the most luminous stars known. Located in the constellation Cygnus, it is a massive white supergiant and serves as a beacon in the night sky.
Castor
Star
Castor is part of the Gemini twins, forming a binary star system. It is one of the brightest stars in the constellation Gemini and is easily visible to the naked eye.
Bellatrix
Star
Bellatrix is a bright blue giant star located in the constellation Orion. It is one of the prominent stars forming Orion's Belt and is easily identifiable in the night sky.
Elnath
Star
Elnath is a binary star system located in the constellation Taurus. It is one of the brightest stars in Taurus and serves as one of the 'horns' of the celestial bull.
Alnilam
Star
Alnilam is part of Orion's Belt, a prominent asterism in the constellation Orion. It is a blue supergiant and one of the brightest stars in the Orion constellation.
Alnitak
Star
Alnitak is part of Orion's Belt, a triple star system in the constellation Orion. It is one of the most recognizable features of the Orion constellation.
Mirfak
Star
Mirfak is a bright star in the constellation Perseus, known for its distinctive yellow-white color. It is one of the brightest stars in the northern hemisphere night sky.
Dubhe
Star
Dubhe, also known as Alpha Ursae Majoris, is a prominent star in the constellation Ursa Major. It is one of the stars forming the Big Dipper asterism.
Menkalinan
Star
Menkalinan, also known as Beta Aurigae, is a bright star in the constellation Auriga. It is one of the brightest stars in Auriga and serves as a navigational marker for astronomers.
Alhena
Star
Polaris
Star
Polaris, also known as the North Star or Alpha Ursae Minoris, is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor. It is almost directly aligned with the Earth's rotational axis, making it a stable point in the night sky for navigation.