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Category: Brightest Stars
Zubenelgenubi is the alpha star of Libra the Scales
Zubenelgenubi - Alpha Librae - is a double star, and is the second brightest star in the constellation Libra the Scales.
Bruce McClure
June 23, 2024
Rastaban and Eltanin, the Dragon’s Eyes, on June evenings
Look in the northeast on these June evenings, near the star Vega. You'll see Rastaban and Eltanin, the eyes of Draco the Dragon.
Deborah Byrd
June 14, 2024
Is Zubeneschamali in the constellation Libra a green star?
Professional astronomers can explain to you why stars can’t look green. Yet many stargazers insist that Zubeneschamali proves otherwise.
Bruce McClure
May 31, 2024
Alphecca, a jewel in Corona Borealis the Northern Crown
Alphecca. Gemma. Alpha Coronae Borealis or simply Alpha Cor Bor. They're all names for a single star, the brightest star in the Northern Crown.
Bruce McClure
Deborah Byrd
May 30, 2024
Mimosa, 2nd-brightest star in Crux, the Southern Cross
To see Mimosa, you need to be in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is a prominent star, or at the latitude of New Orleans, Hawaii, Cairo or New Delhi.
Larry Sessions
May 12, 2024
Tonight’s young moon emerges into the evening sky
The young moon will compete in brightness with several bright stars on the evening of May 9, 2024. Which will shine most brightly?
Guy Ottewell
May 9, 2024
Cor Caroli, named for the heart of a king
Cor Caroli is a binary star and the brightest star in the northern constellation Canes Venatici, the Hunting Dogs. Its name means Heart of Charles.
Bruce McClure
April 24, 2024
Beta Centauri is one of the Southern Pointer Stars
Beta Centauri isn’t as famous as Alpha Centauri, but together, these brilliant Southern Hemisphere stars have inspired legends and guided mariners.
Larry Sessions
Shireen Gonzaga
April 4, 2024
Bright Procyon: The Little Dog Star in Canis Minor
The Dog Star, Sirius, is easy to spot because it's the sky's brightest star. Procyon - the other Dog Star - is near its brighter brother on the sky's dome.
Larry Sessions
January 10, 2024
Menkar – a visual double – is the Whale’s alpha star
It's not the most famous star in Cetus the Whale, or the brightest. But Menkar is the Whale's alpha star and has its own claims to fame.
Bruce McClure
December 8, 2023
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