What star is your favourite?
illustration of stars in the sky (unsplash.com/Jakob Körber)
Stars vary in color, size and brightness depending on their mass, temperature and stage of evolution. The stars we see in the night sky are stars in the Milky Way galaxy, or the galaxy we are in.
There are several factors that affect the brightness of a star, such as distance, absolute magnitude, apparent magnitude and atmospheric attenuation. Here are some of the brightest stars you can see in the night sky.
1. Sirius
illustration of the star Sirius (unsplash.com/Colin Cromar)
Sirius is a bright star in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of -1.46. This star is also known as the Dog Star or the Rainbow Star because it has a bluish-white color and often flickers.
Located 8.6 light years from Earth, Sirius is the closest star to us after the Sun. Sirius consists of a double star system consisting of Sirius A and Sirius B.
Sirius A is the main star visible to us. While Sirius B is a white dwarf star, it is very dense and difficult to observe.
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2. Canopus
illustration of the star Canopus (pixabay.com/Hans)
Canopus, with an apparent magnitude of -0.72, is the second brightest star in the night sky. This star has a yellow and white color and is a supergiant with a diameter of about 71 times larger than the Sun.
At a distance of about 310 light years from Earth, Canopus is one of the brightest stars intrinsically in our galaxy. This star can only be observed from the southern hemisphere or the tropics in the northern hemisphere.
3. Alpha Centauri
illustration of the star Alpha Centauri (unsplash.com/🇻🇪 Jose G. Ortega Castro 🇲🇽)
Alpha Centauri, with an apparent magnitude of -0.27, is the next brightest star. This star is also known as Rigil Centaurus or Toliman. Alpha Centauri is the closest star to the Sun, about 4.37 light years from Earth.
Strictly speaking, Alpha Centauri is a triple star system consisting of Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and Proxima Centauri. Alpha Centauri A and B are yellow stars similar to the Sun, and they orbit each other. On the other hand, Proxima Centauri is a very distant red dwarf star orbiting Alpha Centauri A and B.
4. Arcturus
illustration of the star Arcturus (unsplash.com/Kyle Gregory Devaras)
Arcturus has an apparent magnitude of -0.05, and is the fourth brightest star in the night sky. This star is also the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere and is located in the constellation Boötes. Arcturus has a reddish-orange color and is an old giant star that has grown to 25 times the diameter of the Sun.
Arcturus is about 37 light years from Earth, making it one of the closest stars to us. The name Arcturus comes from the Greek meaning “Guardian Bear”and its name is associated with a mythological legend.
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2023-07-11 12:03:00
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