Arcturus, the brightest star of the northern sky

Arcturus is the brightest star north of the celestial equator. Near the handle of the Big Dipper, it's easy to find in spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

Alpha Centauri, the star system closest to our sun

Our closest stellar neighbors are the 3 stars that are the Alpha Centauri system. They lie just over 4 light-years away (25 trillion miles or 38 trillion km).

Acrux is the brightest star in the Southern Cross

You have to go far south on Earth's globe to see the Southern Cross constellation. Bluish Acrux, aka Alpha Crucis, is its brightest star.

Capella is sometimes called the Goat Star

The 6th-brightest star in the night sky, Capella, in the Northern Hemisphere constellation Auriga the Charioteer, is also a point of the Winter Hexagon.

Schedar shines brightly at the Queen’s heart

Schedar is the brightest star in the distinctive W-shaped northern constellation Cassiopeia and is visible most of the year from northern latitudes.

Bellatrix is Orion’s 3rd-brightest star

Orion's shoulder star Bellatrix has a name that means "female warrior." Bellatrix is one of the hottest stars you can see without optical aid.

Mirach is guide star to 3 galaxies

Mirach in the constellation Andromeda helps stargazers locate the Andromeda Galaxy, the Triangulum Galaxy, and "Mirach's Ghost" (NGC 404).

Alpheratz belongs to Andromeda, but is part of the Great Square

Alpheratz, the brightest star in the constellation Andromeda, can guide you to the Andromeda Galaxy, the closest large spiral galaxy to our Milky Way galaxy.

Kochab and Pherkad: The Guardians of the Pole

Kochab and Pherkad are two stars in the Little Dipper that carry the nickname of the Guardians of the Pole. Here's how to find them and more.

Meet Delta Scorpii, aka Dschubba

Delta Scorpii, also known as Dschubba, is a variable star in the constellation Scorpius. With the eyes alone, you can check its brightness for yourself, and for science.