What’s that bright star in the sky?
The brightest “star” in the evening sky is most often a planet: Venus, Jupiter or Mars. Below is what shines brightest over your city now, in the evening or before dawn, and in which part of the sky.
- Siriusthe brightest star, −1.44
- Venusup to −4.9 — brighter than any star
- 5 thousandstars visible to the naked eye across the whole sky
What shines brightest
“Evening” means 21:00 and “before dawn” means 05:00 city time; if it is still light at that time, the moment when it gets dark is used. Click a name to open the sky map with that object.
How to tell what it is
Bright and not twinkling
Most likely a planet: Venus, Jupiter, Mars or Saturn. Planets shine with a steady light and stay near the ecliptic — the path of the Sun and the Moon.
Twinkles and flashes colors
A star, especially if it is low over the horizon: the air splits its light into colors. In winter Sirius “sparkles” like this; in summer and autumn, Vega, Capella and Arcturus.
Moves
Crosses the sky in a few minutes without blinking — the ISS or a satellite; if it blinks red and green — a plane. When the ISS will fly over is shown on the “ISS passes” page.
The brightest stars in the sky
| Star | Constellation | Magnitude | Color | At 52° N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirius | Canis Major | −1.44 | bluish white | in winter |
| Canopus | Carina | −0.62 | bluish white | never rises |
| Arcturus | Boötes | −0.05 | orange | in spring |
| Rigil Kentaurus | Centaurus | −0.01 | yellow | never rises |
| Vega | Lyra | 0.03 | bluish white | all year round |
| Capella | Auriga | 0.08 | yellow | all year round |
| Rigel | Orion | 0.18 | bluish white | in winter |
| Procyon | Canis Minor | 0.40 | white | in winter |
| Achernar | Eridanus | 0.45 | blue | never rises |
| Betelgeuse | Orion | 0.45 | orange | in winter |
| Hadar | Centaurus | 0.61 | blue | never rises |
| Altair | Aquila | 0.76 | white | in summer |
| Acrux | Crux | 0.77 | blue | never rises |
| Aldebaran | Taurus | 0.87 | orange | in winter |
| Spica | Virgo | 0.98 | blue | in spring |
| Antares | Scorpius | 1.06 | red | in summer |
| Pollux | Gemini | 1.16 | orange | in winter |
| Fomalhaut | Piscis Austrinus | 1.17 | bluish white | in autumn |
| Mimosa | Crux | 1.25 | blue | never rises |
| Deneb | Cygnus | 1.25 | bluish white | all year round |
Magnitude is a measure of brightness: the smaller the number, the brighter the star. Brighter than Sirius are Venus (up to −4.9), Jupiter (up to −2.9) and Mars (up to −2.8) — their greatest brightness in 2020–2040. “At 52° N” — when the star is best seen in the evening.
Questions
What is the brightest star in the sky?
Sirius in the constellation Canis Major, magnitude −1.44. At mid-northern latitudes it is seen in winter, low over the southern horizon: follow the line of Orion’s Belt down and to the left. Only the Moon and the planets — Venus, Jupiter and sometimes Mars — are brighter than Sirius.
What is the bright star in the west in the evening?
If it is very bright, white and doesn’t twinkle, it is almost certainly Venus. It is the “evening star” for several months in a row, then moves to the morning sky. What is visible over your city today is calculated at the top of the page.
Why does a star flash different colors?
That is twinkling: the star’s light passes through restless air, which acts like a multitude of tiny prisms. Bright stars low over the horizon twinkle the most — Sirius, Capella, Arcturus, Vega. Planets twinkle much less: they are not points but tiny disks.
What is the bright star that moves?
If a dot crosses the sky in a few minutes, shines steadily and doesn’t blink, it is the International Space Station or another satellite. If it blinks red and green, it is a plane. When the ISS will fly over your city is shown on the “ISS passes” page.
What is the brightest star of the northern sky?
Arcturus in the constellation Boötes, magnitude −0.05. In spring and summer it is high in the south: follow the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle — it leads to Arcturus.
Is Polaris the brightest star?
No. Polaris is a second-magnitude star (magnitude 1.97); among the brightest stars in the sky it is only number 47. It is famous for something else: it stands almost exactly above the north celestial pole and always shows where north is.