The 25 Brightest Stars
| # | Star | Name | Spectrum | Absolute visual magnitude | Visual brightness | Color index | Remarks |
|---|
| -- | ------------ | ------------ | ------------ | Mv | V | B-V | ------------ |
|---|
| 1 | a CMa | Sirius | A1 V | +1.4 | -1.43 | 0.00 | -- |
| 2 | a Car | Canopus | F0 Ia | -4.5 | -0.73 | +0.15 | -- |
| 3 | a Cen | -- | G2 V | +4.7 | -0.27 | +0.66 | Double |
| 4 | a Boo | Arcturus | K2 IIIp | -0.1 | -0.06 | +1.23 | -- |
| 5 | a Lyr | Vega | A0 V | +0.5 | +0.04 | 0.00 | -- |
| 6 | a Aur | Capella | G0 IIIp | -0.6 | +0.09 | +0.80 | Double |
| 7 | b Ori | Rigel | B8 Ia | -7 | +0.15 | -0.04 | Double |
| 8 | a CMi | Procyon | F5 IV-V | +2.7 | +0.37 | +0.41 | -- |
| 9 | a Eri | Achernar | B3 V | -2 | +0.53 | -0.16 | -- |
| 10 | b Cen | -- | B0.5 V | -4 | +0.66 | -0.21 | Double |
| 11 | a Ori | Betelgeuse | M2 Iab | -5 | +0.7 | +1.87 | Variable |
| 12 | a Aql | Altair | A7 IV-V | +2.2 | +0.80 | +0.22 | -- |
| 13 | a Tau | Aldebaran | K5 III | -0.7 | +0.85 | +1.52 | Variable, double |
| 14 | a Cru | -- | B0.5 V | -4 | +0.87 | -0.24 | Double |
| 15 | a Sco | Antares | M1 Ib | -4 | +0.98 | +1.80 | Double, variable |
| 16 | a Vir | Spica | B1 V | -3 | +1.00 | -0.23 | -- |
| 17 | a PsA | Fomalhaut | A3 V | +1.9 | +1.16 | +0.09 | -- |
| 18 | b Gem | Pollux | K0 III | +1.0 | +1.16 | +1.01 | -- |
| 19 | a Cyg | Deneb | A2 Ia | -7 | +1.26 | +0.09 | -- |
| 20 | b Cru | -- | B0.5 IV | -4 | +1.31 | -0.23 | -- |
| 21 | a Leo | Regulus | B7 V | -0.7 | +1.36 | -0.11 | Double |
| 22 | e CMa | Adhara | B2 II | -5 | +1.49 | -0.17 | -- |
| 23 | a Gem | Castor | A0 | +0.9 | +1.59 | +0.05 | Double |
| 24 | l Sco | Shaula | B2 IV | -3 | +1.62 | -0.23 | -- |
| 25 | g Ori | Bellatrix | B2 III | -4 | +1.64 | -0.23 | -- |
- 1 light-year = 9.5 X1012 km
- The absolute visual magnitude: The apparent magnitude a star would have if viewed from a distance of 10 parsecs (1 pc = 3.26 light-years).
- The spectra are from H.L. Johnson and W.W. Morgan; colors and magnitude are photoelectric, V being the equivalent of a visual brightness and B-V blue minus visual color index. The absolute visual magnitude Mv are based on measured parallaxes; when only one significant figure is given, however, they are only estimates.
- The above table is from McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Astronomy.
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