Brightest Stars

Great Pyramid of Giza
May 12, 2012 Tonight

Star of the Week: Thuban is a former Pole Star

Thuban was the Pole Star some 5,000 years ago, when the Egyptians were building the pyramids.

Vega via NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
May 09, 2012 Tonight 16 Comments

Vega is the Harp Star

Vega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra the Harp. That’s why it’s often called the Harp Star.

Artist's concept of Spica from hypothetical planet
Apr 13, 2012 Tonight 20 Comments

Spica is a whirling double star

Spica is a binary star, with two stars larger and hotter than the sun, telescopically indistinguishable from a single point of light.

Constellation Crux photo by Christopher J Picking in New Zealand.  More information about this photo here.  Used with permission
Apr 07, 2012 Tonight 2 Comments

Mimosa in the Southern Cross

If you’re in the U.S., you must be at about New Orleans’ latitude to glimpse it. From the southern hemisphere, Mimosa is a prominent and beloved star.

Credit: Russell Croman
Mar 31, 2012 Tonight 20 Comments

Regulus is the Lion’s Heart

Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, is known to spin rapidly on its axis. If it spun only slightly more rapidly, the star would fly apart.

Alphard.  (North Central Kansas Astronomical Society)
Mar 19, 2012 Tonight 1 Comment

Alphard is the Snake’s Heart

You can see Alphard – the Heart of the constellation Hydra the Water Snake – in the evening in March, April, and May.

Image Credit: ESO Online Digitized Sky Survey
Mar 11, 2012 Tonight 1 Comment

Mizar and Alcor, famous double star, are really six stars

Mizar and its fainter companion star Alcor are located in the handle of the Big Dipper. They are one of the sky’s easiest-to-spot double stars.

Golden Pollux
Mar 10, 2012 Tonight Leave a comment

Pollux is the brighter of two Twin stars

Pollux is the brighter of two bright stars in the constellation Gemini the Twins. It is the 17th brightest star in our sky.

Constellation Crux photo by Christopher J Picking in New Zealand.  More information about this photo here.  Used with permission
Mar 05, 2012 Tonight 15 Comments

Acrux is brightest star in Southern Cross

Blue Acrux shines as the brightest star in the constellation Crux the Southern Cross.

Castor system via Jeremy Perez
Feb 25, 2012 Tonight 21 Comments

Castor is six stars in one

Two stars noticeable for being bright and close together might be Castor and Pollux the Gemini ‘twins.’