The brightest stars in the sky
TOP 50The brightest star in this catalogue is the Sun, at apparent magnitude −26.74 (V). Next are Sirius and Canopus.
Ranked by apparent magnitude — how bright a star looks from Earth, not how much light it actually gives off. The Sun leads by a wide margin for the obvious reason, and everything after it is a star you can find on a clear night.
NAME
CLASS
MASS
DISTANCE
MAG
CONSTELLATION
Sun★
G2V yellow main-sequence star
1.00 M☉
1.000 AU
−26.74 V
—
Sirius★
A0mA1Va white main-sequence star
—
8.601 ly
−1.44 V
Canis Major
Canopus★
A9II white bright giant
—
309.2 ly
−0.62 V
Carina
Arcturus★
K1.5IIIFe-0.5 orange giant
—
36.72 ly
−0.05 V
Boötes
Rigil Kentaurus★
G2V yellow main-sequence star
—
4.321 ly
−0.01 V
Centaurus
Vega★
A0V white main-sequence star
—
25.04 ly
0.03 V
Lyra
Capella★
G3III: yellow giant
—
42.80 ly
0.08 V
Auriga
Rigel★
B8Ia blue-white supergiant
—
862.8 ly
0.18 V
Orion
Procyon★
F5IV-V+DQZ yellow-white subgiant
—
11.46 ly
0.40 V
Canis Minor
Achernar★
B6Vpe blue-white main-sequence star
—
139.4 ly
0.45 V
Eridanus
Betelgeuse★
M1-M2Ia-Iab red supergiant
—
497.9 ly
0.45 V
Orion
Hadar
B1III blue-white giant
—
392.0 ly
0.61 V
Centaurus
Altair★
A7Vn white main-sequence star
—
16.73 ly
0.76 V
Aquila
Acrux
B0.5IV+B1V blue-white subgiant
—
322.0 ly
0.77 V
Crux
Aldebaran★
K5+III orange star
—
66.64 ly
0.87 V
Taurus
Gl 194B
G0 III yellow star
—
42.20 ly
0.96 V
Auriga
Spica★
B1V blue-white main-sequence star
—
249.7 ly
0.98 V
Virgo
Antares★
M1.5Iab+B2Vn red supergiant
—
553.7 ly
1.06 V
Scorpius
Pollux★
K0IIIb orange giant
—
33.78 ly
1.16 V
Gemini
Fomalhaut★
A4V white main-sequence star
—
25.13 ly
1.17 V
Piscis Austrinus
Deneb★
A2Ia white supergiant
—
1412 ly
1.25 V
Cygnus
Mimosa
B1IV blue-white subgiant
—
278.5 ly
1.25 V
Crux
Toliman
K1V orange dwarf
—
4.321 ly
1.35 V
Centaurus
Regulus★
B8IVn blue-white subgiant
—
79.30 ly
1.36 V
Leo
Adhara
B1.5II blue-white bright giant
—
405.2 ly
1.50 V
Canis Major
Castor★
A1V+A2Vm white main-sequence star
—
50.87 ly
1.58 V
Gemini
Gacrux
M3.5III red giant
—
88.56 ly
1.59 V
Crux
Shaula
B2IV+DA7.9 blue-white subgiant
—
571.2 ly
1.62 V
Scorpius
Bellatrix
B2III blue-white giant
—
252.4 ly
1.64 V
Orion
Elnath
B7III blue-white giant
—
133.9 ly
1.65 V
Taurus
Miaplacidus
A1III- white giant
—
113.2 ly
1.67 V
Carina
Alnilam
B0Ia blue-white supergiant
—
1977 ly
1.69 V
Orion
NGC 1990
Star
—
—
1.69 V
Orion
Alnair
B6V blue-white main-sequence star
—
101.0 ly
1.73 V
Grus
Alnitak
O9.7Ib+B0III blue supergiant
—
736.2 ly
1.74 V
Orion
γ² Vel
WC8+O7.5III-V Wolf-Rayet star
—
1117 ly
1.75 V
Vela
Alioth
A1III-IVpkB9 white giant
—
82.55 ly
1.76 V
Ursa Major
Kaus Australis
B9IVp_lB? blue-white subgiant
—
143.3 ly
1.79 V
Sagittarius
Mirfak
F5Ib yellow-white supergiant
—
506.5 ly
1.79 V
Perseus
Dubhe
G9III+A7.5 yellow giant
—
122.9 ly
1.81 V
Ursa Major
Wezen
F8Ia yellow-white supergiant
—
1607 ly
1.83 V
Canis Major
Alkaid
B3V blue-white main-sequence star
—
103.9 ly
1.85 V
Ursa Major
Avior
K3:III+B2:V orange giant
—
605.1 ly
1.86 V
Carina
Sargas
F1III yellow-white giant
—
300.3 ly
1.86 V
Scorpius
Menkalinan
A1IV-Vp white subgiant
—
81.11 ly
1.90 V
Auriga
Atria
K2III_Ba1 orange giant
—
390.6 ly
1.91 V
Triangulum Australe
Alhena
A1.5IV+ white subgiant
—
109.3 ly
1.93 V
Gemini
Alsephina
A2IV+A4V white subgiant
—
80.55 ly
1.93 V
Vela
Peacock
B2IV blue-white subgiant
—
178.8 ly
1.94 V
Pavo
Polaris★
F8Ib yellow-white supergiant
—
432.6 ly
1.97 V
Ursa Minor