List of brightest stars - Wikipedia List of brightest stars This article is about apparent magnitude. For absolute magnitude, see List of most luminous 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. Most of the proper names in this list are those approved by the Working Group on Star Names, and although their usage is recommended, they remain as `` preliminary guidelines. '' ( Popular star names here, that have not been approved by the IAU appear with a short note. ) Contents 1 Measurement 2 Main table 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External links 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 four reasons : Stellar brightness is 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 optical telescope 's invention, and the known existence of double or binary stars, has meant that stellar brightness could be expressed as either individual ( separate ) or total ( combined ) magnitude. The table is ordered by combined magnitude of all naked eye components appearing as if it they were single stars. Such stars are included in parentheses, where any individual component magnitudes are bright enough to make a detectable contribution. e.g. the double star Alpha Centauri has the total or combined magnitude of − 0.27, while its two component stars have magnitudes of + 0.01 and + 1.33. New or more accurate photometry, standard filters, or adopting differing methods using standard stars can measure stellar magnitudes slightly differently. This may change the apparent order of lists of bright stars. The table shows measured V magnitudes, which use 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 these apparent magnitudes vary dramatically in the different systems. For example, Betelgeuse has the K - band ( infra - red ) apparent magnitude of − 4.05. 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, e.g., 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 by poorly understood pulsations in stellar evolution processes. Such quoted stellar brightness is sometimes based on the average maximum apparent magnitude from estimated maximums over many observed light - curve cycles, sometimes spanning across centuries. Results often quoted in the literature are not necessarily straightforward and may differ in expressing an alternate value for a singular maximum brightness or as a range of values. A select number of stars, thought to be uniformly fixed in brightness, are used as standard stars. These standard stars have carefully determined magnitudes that have been analysed over many years, and are often used to determine other star 's magnitudes or their stellar parameters using comparatively consistent scales. Main table The source of magnitudes cited in this list is the linked Wikipedia articles -- this basic list is a catalog of what Wikipedia itself documents. References can be found in the individual articles. V Mag. ( m ) Proper name Bayer designation Distance ( ly ) Spectral class 0.000 2998732600000000000 ♠ − 26.74 Sun 0.000015813 G2 V 0.001 2999853999999999999 ♠ − 1.46 Sirius α CMa 000 8.6 A0mA1 Va, DA2 0.003 3000260000000000000 ♠ − 0.74 Canopus α Car 0310 A9 II 0.004 3000730000000000000 ♠ − 0.27 ( 0.01 + 1.33 ) Alpha Centauri ( Rigil Kentaurus ) α Cen 000 4.4 G2 V, K1 V 0.005 3001500000000000000 ♠ − 0.05 Arcturus α Boo 00 37 K0 III 6998300000000000000 ♠ 0.03 ( − 0.02 - 0.07var ) Vega α Lyr 00 25 A0 Va 6998800000000000000 ♠ 0.08 ( 0.03 - 0.16var ) Capella α Aur 00 42 K0 III, G1 III 6999130000000000000 ♠ 0.13 ( 0.05 - 0.18var ) Rigel β Ori 0860 B8 Ia 6999340000000000000 ♠ 0.34 Procyon α CMi 00 11 F5 IV - V 6999460000000000000 ♠ 0.46 ( 0.40 - 0.46var ) Achernar α Eri 0140 B6 Vep 6999500000000000000 ♠ 0.50 ( 0.2 - 1.2var ) Betelgeuse α Ori 0640 M1 - M2 Ia - ab 6999610000000000000 ♠ 0.61 Hadar β Cen 0350 B1 III 6999760000000000000 ♠ 0.76 Altair α Aql 00 17 A7 V 6999760000000000000 ♠ 0.76 ( 1.33 + 1.73 ) Acrux α Cru 0320 B0. 5 IV, B1 V 6999860000000000000 ♠ 0.86 ( 0.75 - 0.95var ) Aldebaran α Tau 00 65 K5 III 6999960000000000000 ♠ 0.96 ( 0.6 - 1.6var ) Antares α Sco 0600 M1. 5 Iab - Ib, B2. 5 V 6999970000000000000 ♠ 0.97 ( 0.97 - 1.04var ) Spica α Vir 0260 B1 III - IV, B2 V 7000113990000099999 ♠ 1.14 Pollux β Gem 00 34 K0 III 7000116000000099999 ♠ 1.16 Fomalhaut α PsA 00 25 A3 V 7000125000000000000 ♠ 1.25 ( 1.21 - 1.29var ) Deneb α Cyg 2,600 A2 Ia 7000125000000000000 ♠ 1.25 ( 1.23 - 1.31var ) Mimosa β Cru 0350 B0. 5 III, B2 V 7000138990000099999 ♠ 1.39 Regulus α Leo 00 77 B8 IVn 7000150000000000000 ♠ 1.50 Adhara ε CMa 0430 B2 II 7000162000000000000 ♠ 1.62 Shaula λ Sco 0700 B2 IV 7000162000000000000 ♠ 1.62 ( 1.98 + 2.97 ) Castor α Gem 00 52 A1 V, Am 7000164000000000000 ♠ 1.64 Gacrux γ Cru 00 88 M3. 5 III 7000164000000000000 ♠ 1.64 Bellatrix γ Ori 0240 B2 III 7000165000000000000 ♠ 1.65 Elnath β Tau 0130 B7 III 7000169000000000000 ♠ 1.69 Miaplacidus β Car 0110 A1 III 7000169000000000000 ♠ 1.69 ( 1.64 - 1.74var ) Alnilam ε Ori 2,000 B0 Ia 7000172000000000000 ♠ 1.72 ( 1.81 - 1.87var + 4.27 ) Regor γ Vel 0840 WC8, O7. 5III 7000174000000000000 ♠ 1.74 Alnair α Gru 0100 B6 V 7000177000000000000 ♠ 1.77 Alioth ε UMa 00 81 A1 III - IVp kB9 7000177000000000000 ♠ 1.77 Alnitak ζ Ori A 0820 O9. 5 Iab, B1 IV, B0 III 7000179000000000000 ♠ 1.79 Dubhe α UMa 0120 K0 III, F0 V 7000180000000000000 ♠ 1.80 Mirfak α Per 0590 F5 Ib 7000182000000000000 ♠ 1.82 Wezen δ CMa 1,800 F8 Ia 7000184000000000000 ♠ 1.84 Sargas θ Sco 0270 F0 II 7000185000000000000 ♠ 1.85 Kaus Australis ε Sgr 0140 B9. 5 III 7000186000000000000 ♠ 1.86 Avior ε Car 0630 K3 III, B2 Vp 7000186000000000000 ♠ 1.86 Alkaid η UMa 0100 B3 V 7000190000000000000 ♠ 1.90 ( 1.89 - 1.94var ) Menkalinan β Aur 0100 A1mIV + A1mIV 7000191000000000000 ♠ 1.91 Atria α TrA 0420 K2 IIb - IIIa 7000192000000000000 ♠ 1.92 Alhena γ Gem 0100 A1. 5 IV+ 7000194000000000000 ♠ 1.94 Peacock α Pav 0180 B3 V 7000196000000000000 ♠ 1.96 ( 1.99 - 2.39var + 5.57 ) Alsephina δ Vel 00 80 A1 Va ( n ), F7. 5 V 7000198000000000000 ♠ 1.98 Mirzam β CMa 0500 B1 II - III 7000200000000000000 ♠ 2.00 Alphard α Hya 0180 K3 II - III 7000198000000000000 ♠ 1.98 ( 1.86 - 2.13var ) Polaris α UMi 0430 F7 Ib 7000200000000000000 ♠ 2.00 Hamal α Ari 00 66 K1 IIIb 7000200999999999999 ♠ 2.08 ( 2.37 + 3.64 ) Algieba γ Leo 0130 K0 III, G7 IIIb 7000202000000000000 ♠ 2.02 Diphda β Cet 00 96 K0 III 7000204000000000000 ♠ 2.04 Mizar ζ UMa 00 78 A2 Vp, A2 Vp, Am 7000205009999999999 ♠ 2.05 Nunki σ Sgr 0220 B2. 5 V 7000206000000000000 ♠ 2.06 Menkent θ Cen 00 61 K0 III 7000205009999999999 ♠ 2.05 ( 2.01 - 2.10var ) Mirach β And 0200 M0 III 7000206000000000000 ♠ 2.06 Alpheratz α And 00 97 B8 IVpMnHg, A3 V 7000207009999999999 ♠ 2.07 Rasalhague α Oph 00 47 A5 III 7000208000000000000 ♠ 2.08 Kochab β UMi 0130 K4 III 7000209009999900000 ♠ 2.09 Saiph κ Ori 0720 B0. 5 Ia 7000211009999900000 ♠ 2.11 Denebola β Leo 00 36 A3 Va 7000212000000000000 ♠ 2.12 ( 2.1 - 3.39var ) Algol β Per 00 93 B8 V, K0 IV, A7m 7000215000000000000 ♠ 2.15 ( 2.0 - 2.3var ) Tiaki β Gru 0170 M5 III 7000217000000000000 ♠ 2.17 -- γ Cen 0130 A0 III, A0 III 7000221000000000000 ♠ 2.21 Aspidiske ι Car 0690 A9 Ib 7000221000000000000 ♠ 2.21 ( 2.14 - 2.30var ) Suhail λ Vel 0570 K4 Ib 7000223000000000000 ♠ 2.23 ( 2.21 - 2.32var ) Alphecca α CrB 00 75 A0 V, G5 V 7000223000000000000 ♠ 2.23 ( 2.23 - 2.35var ) Mintaka δ Ori 0900 O9 II, B1 V, B0 IV 7000223000000000000 ♠ 2.23 Sadr γ Cyg 1,500 F8 Iab 7000223000000000000 ♠ 2.23 Eltanin γ Dra 0150 K5 III 7000224000000000000 ♠ 2.24 Schedar α Cas 0230 K0 IIIa 7000225000000000000 ♠ 2.25 Naos ζ Pup 1,100 O4 If ( n ) p 7000225990000099999 ♠ 2.26 Almach γ And 0350 K3 IIb, B9. 5 V, B9. 5 V, A0 V 7000227990000099999 ♠ 2.28 ( 2.25 - 2.31var ) Caph β Cas 00 54 F2 III 7000229000000000000 ♠ 2.29 Izar ε Boo 0202 K0 II - III, A2 V 7000230000000099999 ♠ 2.30 ( 2.29 - 2.34var ) -- α Lup 0550 B1. 5 III 7000230000000099999 ♠ 2.30 ( 2.29 - 2.31var ) -- ε Cen 0380 B1III 7000231000000000000 ♠ 2.31 ( 1.6 - 2.32var ) Dschubba δ Sco 0400 B0. 3 IV, B1 - 3 V 7000231000000000000 ♠ 2.31 Larawag ε Sco 00 65 K1 III 7000235000000000000 ♠ 2.35 ( 2.30 - 2.41var ) -- η Cen 0310 B1. 5 Vne 7000237000000000000 ♠ 2.37 Merak β UMa 00 79 A1 IVps 7000238000000000000 ♠ 2.38 Ankaa α Phe 00 77 K0. 5 IIIb 7000239000000000000 ♠ 2.39 -- κ Sco 0460 B1. 5 III 7000240000000000000 ♠ 2.40 ( 0.7 - 3.0var ) Enif ε Peg 0670 K2 Ib 7000242000000000000 ♠ 2.42 ( 2.31 - 2.74var ) Scheat β Peg 0200 M2. 5 II - IIIe 7000243000000000000 ♠ 2.43 Sabik η Oph 00 88 A1 IV, A1 IV 7000244000000000000 ♠ 2.44 Phecda γ UMa 00 84 A0 Ve 7000245000000000000 ♠ 2.45 Aludra η CMa 2,000 B5 Ia 7000246000000000000 ♠ 2.46 Markeb κ Vel 0540 B2 IV 7000247000000000000 ♠ 2.47 ( 1.6 - 3.0var ) -- γ Cas 0610 B0. 5 IVe 7000248000000000000 ♠ 2.48 Markab α Peg 0140 A0 IV 7000248000000000000 ♠ 2.48 Aljanah ε Cyg 00 72 K0 III - IV 7000250000000000000 ♠ 2.50 Acrab β Sco 0404 B0. 5 IV - V, B1. 5 V, B2 V See also Star portal Book : The Brightest Stars 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 Jump up ^ `` Bulletin of the IAU Working Group on Star Names. No. 1 ''. IAU Division C WG Star Names. July 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2018. Jump up ^ Hoffleit, Dorrit ; Jaschek, Carlos ( 1991 ). `` The Bright star catalogue ''. New Haven. Bibcode : 1991bsc... book... H. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ `` Macmillan Dictionary of Astronomy ( Illingworth, Valerie, 1985 ) ''. Dictionary Series ( Second ed. ). Springer. p. 237. Retrieved 24 September 2016. Jump up ^ 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... 137.4186 L. doi : 10.1088 / 0004 - 6256 / 137 / 5 / 4186. Jump up ^ 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... 135.1430 H. doi : 10.1088 / 0004 - 6256 / 135 / 4 / 1430. Jump up ^ Name does not appear in the IAU Catalog of Star Names access - date = requires url = ( help ) ^ Jump up to : `` IAU Catalog of Star Names ''. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ 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 Star Formation Accretion Molecular cloud Bok globule Young stellar object Protostar Pre-main - sequence star Herbig Ae / Be Orion T Tauri FU Orionis Herbig -- Haro object Hayashi track Henyey track Evolution Main sequence Red giant branch Horizontal branch Red clump Asymptotic giant branch Protoplanetary nebula Planetary nebula PG1159 star Dredge - up Instability strip Luminous blue variable Blue straggler Stellar population Supernova Supernova impostor Hypernova Hertzsprung -- Russell diagram Color -- color diagram Luminosity class Subdwarf Dwarf Blue Red White Yellow Brown Subgiant Giant Blue Red Yellow Bright giant Supergiant Blue Red Yellow Hypergiant Yellow Spectral classification WR Be OB Subdwarf O Subdwarf B Late - type Chemically peculiar Am Ap / Bp Barium Carbon CH CN Extreme helium Lambda Boötis Lead HgMn Technetium Shell Remnants White dwarf Helium planet Neutron star Radio - quiet Pulsar Binary X-ray Magnetar Stellar black hole X-ray binary Burster Theoretical stars Black dwarf Exotic Quark Strange Preon Planck Electroweak star Dark - matter star Dark - energy star Black star Gravastar Frozen star Q star Quasi-star Thorne -- Żytkow object Iron star Blitzar Nucleosynthesis Deuterium burning Lithium burning Proton -- proton chain CNO cycle Helium flash Triple - alpha process Alpha process Carbon burning Neon burning Oxygen burning Silicon burning S - process R - process Fusor Nova Symbiotic Remnant Luminous red nova Structure Core Convection zone Microturbulence Oscillations Radiation zone Atmosphere Photosphere Starspot Chromosphere Corona Stellar wind Bubble Bipolar outflow Accretion disk Asteroseismology Helioseismology Eddington luminosity Kelvin -- Helmholtz mechanism Properties Designation Dynamics Effective temperature Kinematics Magnetic field Absolute magnitude Mass Metallicity Rotation UBV color Variable star Mira variable Star systems Binary Contact Common envelope Eclipsing Symbiotic Multiple Star cluster Open cluster Globular cluster Super star cluster Planetary system Earth 's Solar System Earth - centric observation of Pole star Circumpolar star Constellation Asterism Magnitude Apparent Extinction Photographic Radial velocity Proper motion Parallax Photometric - standard star Lists Star names Arabic Chinese Extremes Most massive Highest temperature Largest volume Smallest volume Brightest Historical Most luminous Nearest Nearest bright Stars with exoplanets Brown dwarfs White dwarfs Milky Way novae Notable supernovae Supernova candidates Supernova remnants Planetary nebulae Timeline of stellar astronomy Related articles Substellar object Brown dwarf Sub-brown dwarf Planet Galactic year Galaxy Supercluster Guest star Gravity Icarus ( most distant individual star ) Intergalactic star Infrared dark cloud Starfield Category : Stars Star portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_brightest_stars&oldid=829872866 '' Categories : Lists of stars Light sources Lists of superlatives in astronomy Hidden categories : Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL Talk Contents About Wikipedia Беларуская Български Boarisch Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά Español فارسی Français Galego ગુજરાતી 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Қазақша Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Magyar Македонски Bahasa Melayu Nederlands नेपाली 日本 語 Norsk nynorsk Oromoo ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی Polski Português Română Русский Scots Simple English Slovenčina Српски / srpski Suomi Svenska Татарча / tatarça ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 43 more Edit links This page was last edited on 11 March 2018, at 09 : 15. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what is the brightest star seen from earth
Answer: Sirius