The Brightest Stars

Star  Name Apparent 
Visual
Magnitude
Spectral type Absolute
Visual
Magnitude
Distance (lightyears)
Cma A Sirius -1.44 A1 V 1.4 8.60
Car Canopus -0.62 F0 Ib -3.1 313
1 Cen Rigil Kentaurus A -0.01 G2 V 4.34 4.39
Boo Arcturus -0.05 K2 III -0.31 36.7
Lyr Vega 0.03 A0 V 0.58 25.3
Aur Capella 0.08 M1 comp. -0.48 42.2
Ori Rigel 0.18 B8 Ia -7.1 773
CMi A Procyon 0.40 F5 IV-V 2.7 11.4
Ori Betelgeuse 0.45 M2 Ib -5.6 427
Eri Achernar 0.45 B3 V -2.3 144
Cen AB Hadar 0.61 B1 III -5.2 525
Aql Altair 0.76 A7 IV-V 2.2 16.8
Tau A Aldebaran 0.87 K5 III -0.2 65.1
Cru Acrux 0.77 B0.5 IV -4.1 321
Vir Spica 0.98 B1 V -3.5 262
Sco A Antares 1.06 M1 Ib -5.3 604
PsA Fomalhaut 1.17 A3 V 2.0 25.1
Gem Pollux 1.16 K0 III 1.0 33.7
Cyg Deneb 1.25 A2 Ia -7.1 3230
Cru Beta Crucis 1.25 B0.5 III -4.6 353
2 Cen Rigel Kentaurus B 1.35 K1 V 5.7 4.39
Leo Regulus 1.36 B7 V -0.5 77.5
CMa Adhara 1.50 B2 II -4.2 431
Gem Castor 1.58 A2 V 0.58 51.6
Cru Gacrux 1.59 M4 III -0.6 87.9
Sco Shaula 1.62 B1.5 IV -5.0 703
Ori Bellatrix 1.64 B2 III -2.7 243
Tau Elnath 1.65 B7 III -1.4 131
Car Miaplacidus 1.67 A2 IV -0.99 111
Ori Alnilam 1.69 B0 Ia -6.4 1342
Gru Al Nair 1.73 B7 IV -0.7 101.4
Ori Alnitak 1.74 O9.5 Ib -5.3 817.4
2 Vel Regor 1.75 WC8 + O9I -6.3 840.6
UMa Alioth 1.76 A0p -0.21 80.9
Sgr Kaus Australis 1.79 B9.5 III -1.44 144.6
Per Mirfak 1.79 F5 Ib -4.5 591.9
UMa Dubhe 1.81 F7 V -1.1 123.6
CMa Wezen 1.83 F8 Ia -7.0 1792
UMa Alkaid 1.85 B3 V -0.6 100.7
Sco Sargas 1.86 F1 II -2.75 272.0
Car Avior 1.86 K3 III + B2 V -4.6 632.1
Aur Menkalinan 1.90 A2 V -0.11 82.11
TrA Atria 1.91 K2 IIb-IIIa -3.62 415.5
Gem Alhena 1.93 A0 IV -0.61 104.8
Vel
1.93 A1 V -0.01 79.74
Pav Peacock 1.94 B2 IV -1.8 183.2
UMi Polaris 1.97 F7 Ib-II -3.64 431.4
CMa Mirzam 1.98 B1 II/III -3.95 499.5
Hyd Alphard 1.99 K3 III -1.69 177.3
Ari Hamal 2.01 K2 III 0.48 65.92
1 Leo Algieba 2.01 K0 III -1.0 125.6
Cet Diphda 2.04 K0 III -0.30 95.82
Sgr Nunki 2.05 B2.5 V -2.14 224.3
Cen Menkent 2.06 K0 IIIb 0.71 60.94
And Alpheratz 2.07 B9p -0.3 97.07
Ori Saiph 2.07 B0.5 Ia -4.7 721.6
And Mirach 2.07 M0 III -1.9 199.36
UMi Kochab 2.07 K4 III -0.87 126.5
Gru
2.07 M5 III -1.52 170.1
Oph Rasalhague 2.08 A5 III 1.3 46.7
Per Algol 2.09 B8 V -0.2 92.82
Some spectral types are not clearly defined - those with "comp", "p"etc.