Orange Aldebaran is Taurus the Bull’s fiery eye

Aldebaran is an enormous star that marks one of the eyes of Taurus the Bull. If placed where our sun is, its surface would pass the orbit of Mercury.

Meet Hamal, an ancient equinox star, in Aries the Ram

Meet Hamal, the brightest star in Aries, and learn why people sometimes refer to the March equinox point as the First Point in Aries.

Almach, a quadruple star system in Andromeda

With the eye alone, Almach looks like a single star. Through a telescope, it looks like a colorful duo. But Almach is really a 4-star system.

Algol the Demon Star, named for its strange behavior

What's the scariest star in all the heavens? It's Algol the Demon Star, and you can see it on autumn evenings. Click in to learn the secret of Algol's creepiness!

Gamma Cephei, aka Errai, a future North Star

Gamma Cephei - or Errai - is a binary star system that will one day be Earth’s North Star. It's home to the 1st exoplanet ever discovered.

Fomalhaut is the Loneliest Star … but not in 2025

Fomalhaut is known as the 'lonely one' or 'solitary one' because it shines brightly in an otherwise dim patch of sky. But in 2025, Saturn is nearby.

Thuban was the North Star for the ancient Egyptians

The North Star changes over time. Thuban was the Pole Star some 5,000 years ago, when the Egyptians were building the pyramids.

61 Cygni – a double star – is nicknamed Flying Star

Compared to other stars, 61 Cygni moves quite rapidly against the background of more distant stars, revealing its proximity to Earth.

Eltanin and Rastaban, the Dragon’s eyes

These 2 famous stars shine down from the northern sky. Eltanin and Rastaban represent the fiery eyes of the constellation Draco the Dragon.

Summer Triangle star: Altair is variable and spins fast!

Altair, in the constellation Aquila the Eagle, is one of the closest stars to our solar system. It's variable in an unusual way, and it spins very fast!