The brightest stars
Every star brighter than magnitude 2.5 that carries an official IAU name, brightest first, with its height above your horizon at 10 pm tonight. All details for tonight
No star matches.
| Star | Magnitude | Constellation | Distance | Height at 10 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirius | -1.44 | Canis Major | 9 light-years | below the horizon |
| Canopus | -0.62 | Carina | 309 light-years | below the horizon |
| Arcturus | -0.05 | Boötes | 37 light-years | below the horizon |
| Rigil Kentaurus | -0.01 | Centaurus | 4 light-years | below the horizon |
| Vega | 0.03 | Lyra | 25 light-years | 45° |
| Capella | 0.08 | Auriga | 43 light-years | 22° |
| Rigel | 0.18 | Orion | 863 light-years | below the horizon |
| Procyon | 0.40 | Canis Minor | 12 light-years | below the horizon |
| Achernar | 0.45 | Eridanus | 139 light-years | below the horizon |
| Betelgeuse | 0.45 | Orion | 498 light-years | below the horizon |
| Hadar | 0.61 | Centaurus | 392 light-years | below the horizon |
| Altair | 0.76 | Aquila | 17 light-years | 42° |
| Acrux | 0.77 | Crux | 322 light-years | below the horizon |
| Aldebaran | 0.87 | Taurus | 67 light-years | 10° |
| Spica | 0.98 | Virgo | 250 light-years | below the horizon |
| Antares | 1.06 | Scorpius | 554 light-years | below the horizon |
| Pollux | 1.16 | Gemini | 34 light-years | below the horizon |
| Fomalhaut | 1.17 | Piscis Austrinus | 25 light-years | 20° |
| Mimosa | 1.25 | Crux | 279 light-years | below the horizon |
| Deneb | 1.25 | Cygnus | 1,412 light-years | 69° |
| Toliman | 1.35 | Centaurus | 4 light-years | below the horizon |
| Regulus | 1.36 | Leo | 79 light-years | below the horizon |
| Adhara | 1.50 | Canis Major | 405 light-years | below the horizon |
| Castor | 1.58 | Gemini | 51 light-years | below the horizon |
| Gacrux | 1.59 | Crux | 89 light-years | below the horizon |
| Shaula | 1.62 | Scorpius | 571 light-years | below the horizon |
| Bellatrix | 1.64 | Orion | 252 light-years | below the horizon |
| Elnath | 1.65 | Taurus | 134 light-years | 9° |
| Miaplacidus | 1.67 | Carina | 113 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alnilam | 1.69 | Orion | 1,977 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alnair | 1.73 | Grus | 101 light-years | 3° |
| Alnitak | 1.74 | Orion | 736 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alioth | 1.76 | Ursa Major | 83 light-years | 11° |
| Mirfak | 1.79 | Perseus | 507 light-years | 40° |
| Kaus Australis | 1.79 | Sagittarius | 143 light-years | below the horizon |
| Dubhe | 1.81 | Ursa Major | 123 light-years | 13° |
| Wezen | 1.83 | Canis Major | 1,607 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alkaid | 1.85 | Ursa Major | 104 light-years | 10° |
| Avior | 1.86 | Carina | 605 light-years | below the horizon |
| Sargas | 1.86 | Scorpius | 300 light-years | below the horizon |
| Menkalinan | 1.90 | Auriga | 81 light-years | 15° |
| Atria | 1.91 | Triangulum Australe | 391 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alhena | 1.93 | Gemini | 109 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alsephina | 1.93 | Vela | 81 light-years | below the horizon |
| Peacock | 1.94 | Pavo | 179 light-years | below the horizon |
| Polaris | 1.97 | Ursa Minor | 433 light-years | 41° |
| Mirzam | 1.98 | Canis Major | 493 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alphard | 1.99 | Hydra | 180 light-years | below the horizon |
| Hamal | 2.01 | Aries | 66 light-years | 42° |
| Algieba | 2.01 | Leo | 130 light-years | below the horizon |
| Diphda | 2.04 | Cetus | 96 light-years | 24° |
| Nunki | 2.05 | Sagittarius | 228 light-years | 6° |
| Menkent | 2.06 | Centaurus | 59 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alpheratz | 2.07 | Andromeda | 97 light-years | 67° |
| Mirach | 2.07 | Andromeda | 197 light-years | 59° |
| Saiph | 2.07 | Orion | 647 light-years | below the horizon |
| Kochab | 2.07 | Ursa Minor | 131 light-years | 32° |
| Tiaki | 2.07 | Grus | 177 light-years | 3° |
| Rasalhague | 2.08 | Ophiuchus | 49 light-years | 20° |
| Algol | 2.09 | Perseus | 90 light-years | 39° |
| Almach | 2.10 | Andromeda | 393 light-years | 51° |
| Denebola | 2.14 | Leo | 36 light-years | below the horizon |
| Tiansi | 2.15 | Cassiopeia | 549 light-years | 60° |
| Naos | 2.21 | Puppis | 1,084 light-years | below the horizon |
| Aspidiske | 2.21 | Carina | 766 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alphecca | 2.22 | Corona Borealis | 75 light-years | 7° |
| Suhail | 2.23 | Vela | 545 light-years | below the horizon |
| Mizar | 2.23 | Ursa Major | 86 light-years | 12° |
| Sadr | 2.23 | Cygnus | 1,832 light-years | 65° |
| Schedar | 2.24 | Cassiopeia | 228 light-years | 64° |
| Eltanin | 2.24 | Draco | 154 light-years | 43° |
| Mintaka | 2.25 | Orion | 693 light-years | below the horizon |
| Caph | 2.28 | Cassiopeia | 55 light-years | 66° |
| Dschubba | 2.29 | Scorpius | 491 light-years | below the horizon |
| Larawag | 2.29 | Scorpius | 64 light-years | below the horizon |
| Uridim | 2.30 | Lupus | 465 light-years | below the horizon |
| Merak | 2.34 | Ursa Major | 80 light-years | 7° |
| Izar | 2.35 | Boötes | 203 light-years | below the horizon |
| Enif | 2.38 | Pegasus | 690 light-years | 57° |
| Ankaa | 2.40 | Phoenix | 85 light-years | 3° |
| Phecda | 2.41 | Ursa Major | 83 light-years | 6° |
| Sabik | 2.43 | Ophiuchus | 88 light-years | below the horizon |
| Scheat | 2.44 | Pegasus | 196 light-years | 76° |
| Aludra | 2.45 | Canis Major | 1,989 light-years | below the horizon |
| Alderamin | 2.45 | Cepheus | 49 light-years | 65° |
| Markeb | 2.47 | Vela | 572 light-years | below the horizon |
| Aljanah | 2.48 | Cygnus | 73 light-years | 68° |
| Markab | 2.49 | Pegasus | 133 light-years | 64° |
Star data: HYG Database (positions, magnitudes, parallax distances, spectral types). Positions for your location: Astronomy Engine, with precession and refraction. Calculated with Astronomy Engine, an open-source library verified against the US Naval Observatory and NASA JPL. Data sources
Related guides
- Magnitude: how star brightness is measuredLower numbers mean brighter, and five magnitudes are a factor of 100 in brightness.
- How to learn the constellationsStart with one bright pattern you cannot miss, use it as a signpost to its neighbours, and come back a month later: the sky will have turned, and you will know a little more of it.