Our closest stellar neighbors are the 3 stars that make up the Alpha Centauri system. They lie just over 4 light-years – about 25 trillion miles or 38 trillion km – away.
Posted by Deborah Byrd in Brightest Stars|2 months ago
Find out how to spot Sirius – in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog – the brightest star as seen from Earth. Learn the mythology behind this dazzling light and how it earned the nickname of the Dog Star.
The sky’s brightest star – Sirius – is a double star. A small white dwarf called Sirius B, or the Pup, orbits the larger primary star. The Pup isn’t easy to spot, but it is possible. Here’s how.
Posted by Larry Sessions in Brightest Stars|3 months ago
The 6th-brightest star in the night sky, Capella, is the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere constellation Auriga the Charioteer. This star is also one of the points in the Winter Hexagon.
The bluish-white shoulder star, Bellatrix, aka Gamma Orionis, has a name that means “female warrior.” Bellatrix is one of the hottest stars you can see without optical aid.
Mirach, a bright star in the constellation Andromeda, is often used by stargazers to locate the Andromeda Galaxy, the Triangulum Galaxy, and a galaxy known as Mirach’s Ghost (NGC 404).
Alpheratz, the brightest star in the constellation Andromeda, can help you locate the Andromeda Galaxy, the closest large spiral galaxy to our Milky Way home galaxy.
Posted by EarthSky in Brightest Stars|7 months ago
Mira, in Cetus the Whale, varies in brightness over about 11 months. In late September 2020, it might be near its peak brightness, easily bright enough to be viewed with the eye alone.
Posted by Bruce McClure in Brightest Stars|9 months ago
The constellation Scorpius resembles a scorpion, complete with a curved tail. Two stars close together near the end of the Tail – Shaula and Lesath – represent the Scorpion’s Stinger. They’re easy to spot and fun to get to know!
Posted by Larry Sessions in Brightest Stars|11 months ago
The bright star Regulus is very prominent in the evening sky in May. It looks like a single point of light, but is really 4 stars. It’s the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion.
Posted by Larry Sessions in Astronomy Essentials | Brightest Stars|1 year ago
To see Mimosa, you need to be at the latitude of New Orleans, Hawaii, Cairo or New Delhi. From the Southern Hemisphere, Mimosa is a prominent and beloved star.