The brightest stars in the night sky

The brightest star in Earth's night sky is Sirius, at apparent magnitude -1.46, ahead of Canopus at -0.74.

The stars that dominate the night, ranked by apparent magnitude: the lower the number, the brighter the star. Everything above magnitude 6 is visible from a dark site without equipment.

#	Star	Magnitude	Distance	Class	Temperature
1	Sirius	-1.46	8.6 ly	Blue-white main-sequence star	9,797 K
2	Canopus	-0.74	307 ly	Yellow-white bright giant	7,557 K
3	Arcturus	-0.05	36.7 ly	Orange giant	4,251 K
4	Rigil Kentaurus	0.01	4.4 ly	Sun-like (yellow main-sequence) star	5,790 K
5	Vega	0.03	25.0 ly	Blue-white main-sequence star	9,550 K
6	Capella	0.08	42.4 ly	Yellow giant binary	5,272 K
7	Rigel	0.13	860 ly	Blue supergiant	12,130 K
8	Procyon	0.37	11.4 ly	Yellow-white subgiant	6,654 K
9	Betelgeuse	0.42	548 ly	Red supergiant	3,654 K
10	Achernar	0.46	140 ly	Blue-white main-sequence star	15,000 K
11	Hadar	0.61	361 ly	Blue giant	25,000 K
12	Altair	0.76	16.7 ly	White main-sequence star	7,550 K
13	Acrux	0.76	348 ly	Blue subgiant (multiple system)	28,950 K
14	Aldebaran	0.85	65.0 ly	Orange giant	3,900 K
15	Spica	0.97	250 ly	Blue giant (close binary)	25,300 K
16	Antares	1.00	550 ly	Red supergiant	3,660 K
17	Pollux	1.13	33.7 ly	K0IIIvar	4,893 K
18	Fomalhaut	1.16	25.1 ly	White main-sequence star	8,590 K
19	Deneb	1.25	1,410 ly	Blue-white supergiant	8,525 K
20	Mimosa	1.25	280 ly	Blue giant	28,840 K
21	Toliman	1.33	4.4 ly	Orange dwarf (K-type main-sequence) star	5,207 K
22	Regulus	1.40	79.3 ly	Blue-white main-sequence star	11,535 K
23	Adhara	1.50	405 ly	B2II	~13,856 K
24	Castor	1.58	49.2 ly	Blue-white six-star system	9,900 K
25	Gacrux	1.59	88.6 ly	M4III	~3,649 K
26	Shaula	1.62	571 ly	B1.5IV+...	~14,381 K
27	Bellatrix	1.64	252 ly	Hot blue giant star	21,840 K
28	Elnath	1.65	134 ly	B7III	~12,103 K
29	Miaplacidus	1.67	113 ly	A2IV	~9,328 K
30	Alnilam	1.69	1,250 ly	Blue supergiant	25,000 K
31	Alnair	1.73	101 ly	B7IV	~11,092 K
32	Gamma² Vel	1.75	1,117 ly	WC8 + O9I	~12,390 K
33	Alioth	1.76	82.6 ly	A0p	~10,408 K
34	Alnitak	1.77	1,260 ly	Hot blue supergiant	29,500 K
35	Mirfak	1.79	506 ly	F5Ib	~6,476 K
36	Kaus Australis	1.79	143 ly	B9.5III	~10,529 K
37	Dubhe	1.81	123 ly	F7V comp	~4,601 K
38	Wezen	1.83	1,607 ly	F8Ia	~5,703 K
39	Alkaid	1.85	104 ly	B3V SB	~11,556 K
40	Avior	1.86	605 ly	K3III+B2V	~4,317 K
41	Sargas	1.86	300 ly	F1II	~6,848 K
42	Menkalinan	1.90	81.1 ly	A2V	~9,256 K
43	Atria	1.91	391 ly	K2IIb-IIIa	~3,875 K
44	Alhena	1.93	109 ly	A0IV	~10,113 K
45	Alsephina	1.93	80.6 ly	A1V	~9,619 K
46	Peacock	1.94	179 ly	B2IV	~11,885 K
47	Alphard	1.97	177 ly	Orange giant	4,095 K
48	Polaris	1.98	433 ly	Yellow supergiant Cepheid variable	6,015 K
49	Mirzam	1.98	493 ly	B1II/III	~14,633 K
50	Algieba	2.00	130 ly	K1 IIIb Fe-0.5	4,330 K
51	Hamal	2.01	65.9 ly	K2III	4,553 K
52	Mizar	2.04	82.9 ly	Blue-white multiple star	9,000 K
53	Diphda	2.04	96.3 ly	K0III	~4,698 K
54	Nunki	2.05	228 ly	B2.5V	~12,178 K
55	Kochab	2.06	126 ly	K4 III	4,126 K
56	Saiph	2.06	650 ly	Blue supergiant	25,700 K
57	Menkent	2.06	58.8 ly	K0IIIb	~4,716 K
58	Mirach	2.07	199 ly	M0 III	3,802 K
59	Rasalhague	2.07	48.6 ly	White giant (rapid rotator)	7,798 K
60	Alpheratz	2.07	97.0 ly	B9p	~10,625 K
61	Tiaki	2.07	177 ly	M5III	~3,635 K
62	Almach	2.10	393 ly	B8V	~4,000 K
63	Algol	2.12	93.0 ly	Blue-white eclipsing binary	13,000 K
64	Denebola	2.13	36.2 ly	White main-sequence star	8,720 K
65	Cih	2.15	549 ly	B0IV:evar	~10,738 K
66	Gamma Cen	2.20	130 ly	A1IV	~10,422 K
67	Naos	2.21	1,084 ly	O5IAf	~15,515 K
68	Aspidiske	2.21	766 ly	A8Ib	~8,249 K
69	Alphecca	2.22	75.0 ly	A0V	~9,743 K
70	Suhail	2.23	545 ly	K4Ib-II	~3,561 K
71	Sadr	2.23	1,832 ly	F8Ib	~5,696 K
72	Schedar	2.24	228 ly	K0II-IIIvar	~4,368 K
73	Eltanin	2.24	154 ly	K5III	~3,762 K
74	Caph	2.28	54.7 ly	F2III-IV	~6,989 K
75	Epsilon Cen	2.29	427 ly	B1III	~12,924 K
76	Dschubba	2.29	491 ly	B0.2IV	~11,867 K
77	Larawag	2.29	63.7 ly	K2IIIb	~4,422 K
78	Uridim	2.30	465 ly	B1.5III	~12,569 K
79	Eta Cen	2.33	306 ly	B1Vn + A	~12,630 K
80	Merak	2.34	79.7 ly	A1V	~9,731 K
81	Izar	2.35	203 ly	A0	~4,826 K
82	Enif	2.38	690 ly	K2Ibvar	~3,764 K
83	Kappa Sco	2.39	483 ly	B1.5III	~12,924 K
84	Ankaa	2.40	84.7 ly	K0III...	~4,552 K
85	Mintaka	2.41	1,246 ly	Hot blue giant multiple star	30,100 K
86	Phecda	2.41	83.2 ly	A0V SB	~9,608 K
87	Sabik	2.43	88.4 ly	A2.5Va	~9,444 K
88	Scheat	2.44	196 ly	M2II-IIIvar	~3,574 K
89	Aludra	2.45	1,989 ly	B5Ia	~11,295 K
90	Alderamin	2.45	49.0 ly	A7IV-V	~7,747 K
91	Markeb	2.47	572 ly	B2IV	~12,312 K
92	Aljanah	2.48	72.7 ly	K0III	~4,693 K
93	Markab	2.49	133 ly	B9.5III	~10,150 K
94	Menkar	2.54	249 ly	M2III	~3,608 K
95	Zeta Oph	2.54	366 ly	O9.5V	~9,675 K
96	Leepwal	2.55	382 ly	B2.5IV	~13,033 K
97	Zosma	2.56	58.4 ly	A4V	~8,766 K
98	Acrab	2.56	404 ly	B0.5V	~11,016 K
99	Arneb	2.58	2,219 ly	F0Ib	~8,079 K
100	Delta Cen	2.58	415 ly	B2IVne	~12,066 K

Showing 100 of 13,464 stars that qualify.

Common questions

What is the brightest star in the night sky?

The brightest star in Earth's night sky is Sirius, at apparent magnitude -1.46, ahead of Canopus at -0.74.

How was this list put together?

The Sun is excluded: this is the night sky. Apparent magnitude measures how bright a star looks from Earth, not how much light it gives off, so a close dim star can outrank a distant brilliant one.

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