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Capella is sometimes called the Goat Star
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.
January 13, 2021
Schedar shines brightly at the Queen’s heart
Orange-hued Schedar is the brightest star in the distinctive W-shaped northern constellation Cassiopeia the Queen.
December 1, 2020
Bellatrix is Orion’s 3rd-brightest star
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.
November 18, 2020
Mirach is guide star to 3 galaxies
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).
November 1, 2020
Gamma Cephei: A future Pole Star
About two thousand years from now, Gamma Cephei, an inconspicuous star in the constellation Cepheus, will become our North Star.
October 25, 2020
Alpheratz belongs to Andromeda, but is part of the Great Square
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.
October 23, 2020
A star called Mira the Wonderful
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.
September 21, 2020
Deneb is distant and very luminous
When you gaze at the bright star Deneb, you’re gazing across thousands of light-years of space.
August 5, 2020
Meet the Scorpion’s Stinger stars, Shaula and Lesath
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!
July 27, 2020
Epsilon Lyrae is the famous Double Double star
To the unaided eye, Epsilon Lyrae, in the constellation Lyra, appears as one star. But it’s actually a star system with at least five stars.
July 21, 2020
