List of brightest natural objects in the sky

This list contains all natural objects with an apparent magnitude of 3.5 or above. All objects are listed by their visual magnitudes, and objects too close together to be distinguished are listed jointly. Objects are listed by their proper names or their most commonly used stellar designation. This list does not include transient objects such as comets, or supernovae.

List

Apparent magnitude (V)		Name/designation	Object type	Notes
Average	Maximum
−26.74[1]	−26.78[a]	Sun	Star	Brightest star
−10.79[b]	−12.90[c]	Moon	Natural satellite	Brightest natural satellite
−4.14[6]: 32	−4.92[6]: 32	Venus	Planet	Brightest planet
−2.20[6]: 39	−2.94[6]: 39	Jupiter	Planet
−1.46		Sirius	Binary star system	Brightest night star
−0.74		Canopus	Star
−0.29[7]		Alpha Centauri AB	Binary star system	Part of a triple star system with Proxima Centauri
−0.05		Arcturus	Star	Brightest Population II star
0.03	−0.02	Vega	Star
0.08	0.03[8]	Capella	Quadruple star system	Brightest quadruple star system
0.13	0.05[9]	Rigel	Quadruple star system
0.13[10]		Large Magellanic Cloud	Galaxy	Brightest galaxy
0.23[6]: 29	−2.48[6]: 29	Mercury	Planet
0.37		Procyon	Binary star system
0.42	0.0	Betelgeuse	Star
0.46[6]: 42	−0.55[6]: 42	Saturn	Planet	Includes rings
0.46	0.40	Achernar	Binary star system
0.61		Beta Centauri	Triple star system	Slightly variable
0.71[6]: 36	−2.94[6]: 36	Mars	Planet
0.77		Altair	Star	Slightly variable
0.79[7]		Acrux	Quintuple star system	Brightest quintuple star system
0.86	0.75	Aldebaran	Star
0.91	0.88	Antares	Binary star system
0.97	0.96[11]	Spica	Binary star system
1.14		Pollux	Star
1.16		Fomalhaut	Star	Part of a Triple star system with TW Piscis Austrini and Fomalhaut C
1.25	1.21	Deneb	Star
1.25	1.23	Mimosa	Binary star system
1.40		Regulus	Quadruple star system
1.50		Epsilon Canis Majoris	Binary star system
1.58		Castor	Sextenary star system	Brightest sextuple star system
1.62[12]		Lambda Scorpii	Triple star system
1.64	1.59	Bellatrix	Star
1.64		Gacrux	Star
1.65		Beta Tauri	Star
1.69	1.64	Alnilam	Star
1.69		Beta Carinae	Star
1.71[d]	1.69[e]	Gamma Velorum	Double star
1.71		Alpha Gruis	Star
1.77	1.75	Alioth	Star
1.77		Alnitak	Triple star system
1.79		Alpha Persei	Star
1.79		Dubhe	Binary star system
1.84		Delta Canis Majoris	Star
1.85		Epsilon Sagittarii	Binary star system
1.85		Theta Scorpii	Binary star system
1.86		Alkaid	Star
1.86		Epsilon Carinae	Binary star system
1.87[16]		Small Magellanic Cloud	Galaxy
1.88		Alpha Trianguli Australis	Star
1.90	1.89	Beta Aurigae	Binary star system
1.918		Alpha Pavonis	Binary star system
1.92		Gamma Geminorum	Binary star system
1.95[17]		Delta Velorum	Triple star system	Maximum brightness; 96% chance of being a quadruple star system
1.97	1.87	Beta Canis Majoris	Star
1.97		Alphard	Star
2.00[7]	1.84[18]	Gamma Leonis	Binary star system
2.01		Hamal	Star
2.01		Beta Ceti	Star
2.01[f]		Mizar	Quadruple star system
2.02	1.86	Polaris	Triple star system
2.05	2.01[21]	Mirach	Star
2.05		Theta Centauri	Star
2.06	2.02	Alpheratz	Binary star system
2.06	2.04[22]	Saiph	Star
2.067		Sigma Sagittarii	Star
2.07		Alpha Ophiuchi	Binary star system
2.08		Beta Ursae Minoris	Star
2.10[7]		Gamma Andromedae	Quadruple star system
2.11	2.0	Beta Gruis	Star
2.12		Algol	Triple star system	Maximum brightness
2.14	2.115	Denebola	Star
2.17		Gamma Centauri	Binary star system
2.21	2.14	Lambda Velorum	Star
2.23		Gamma Cygni	Star	Suspected variable star
2.23		Alpha Cassiopeiae	Star
2.230		Gamma Draconis	Star
2.24	2.21	Alpha Coronae Borealis	Binary star system
2.25	2.24[23]	Zeta Puppis	Star
2.26	2.23[24]	Iota Carinae	Star
2.27	2.25[25]	Beta Cassiopeiae	Star
2.29		Epsilon Scorpii	Star	Suspected variable star
2.30	2.29	Epsilon Centauri	Star
2.30[7]	2.29	Alpha Lupi	Star
2.31	2.30	Eta Centauri	Star
2.32	1.86	Delta Scorpii	Binary star system
2.37		Merak	Star
2.38		Alpha Phoenicis	Binary star system
2.39	1.6	Gamma Cassiopeiae	Binary star system
2.39	2.29	Epsilon Pegasi	Star	Normal maximum brightness is 2.29; magnitude 0.7 once observed
2.39		Epsilon Boötis	Binary star system
2.41	2.14	Mintaka	Triple star system
2.41		Kappa Scorpii	Binary star system	Maximum brightness
2.42	2.31	Beta Pegasi	Star
2.42		Eta Ophiuchi	Binary star system
2.440		Phecda	Binary star system
2.45	2.38	Eta Canis Majoris	Star
2.46		Alpha Cephei	Star	Suspected variable star
2.473		Kappa Velorum	Binary star system
2.48		Alpha Pegasi	Star
2.480		Epsilon Cygni	Binary star system
2.50		Beta Scorpii	Sextenary star system
2.52	2.51	Delta Centauri	Star
2.53		Alpha Ceti	Star
2.53		Delta Leonis	Star
2.55		Zeta Centauri	Binary star system
2.56		Zeta Ophiuchi	Star	Maximum brightness
2.57		Alpha Leporis	Star
2.58		Gamma Corvi	Binary star system
2.59		Zeta Sagittarii	Triple star system
2.62	2.60[26]	Beta Librae	Star
2.63		Alpha Serpentis	Star
2.64	2.60[27]	Beta Corvi	Star
2.65[7]	2.62	Theta Aurigae	Binary star system
2.65		Alpha Columbae	Star
2.65		Beta Arietis	Binary star system
2.65		Upsilon Scorpii	Star
2.668		Delta Sagittarii	Star
2.68		Beta Lupi	Star
2.68		Eta Boötis	Binary star system
2.68[28]		Andromeda Galaxy	Galaxy
2.68		Delta Cassiopeiae	Binary star system
2.69[7]	2.68	Alpha Muscae	Star
2.69		Iota Aurigae	Star	Suspected variable star
2.69		Mu Velorum	Binary star system
2.72		Gamma Aquilae	Star
2.73		Iota Centauri	Star
2.75		Delta Ophiuchi	Star	Suspected variable star
2.74		Gamma Virginis	Binary star system
2.74		Eta Draconis	Binary star system
2.75		Alpha2 Librae	Binary star system
2.75[29]		Beta Ophiuchi	Star	Maximum brightness
2.76		Theta Carinae	Binary star system
2.765		Gamma Lupi	Triple star system
2.77	2.76	Beta Herculis	Binary star system
2.77	2.76[30]	Iota Orionis	Quadruple star system
2.79	2.72[31]	Beta Eridani	Star
2.79[g]	2.76[h]	Cor Caroli	Binary star system
2.79[7]	2.78	Delta Crucis	Star
2.79		Epsilon Virginis	Star
2.79		Beta Hydri	Star
2.800		Zeta Herculis	Binary star system
2.80		Pi Puppis	Star	Maximum brightness
2.81	2.68	Rho Puppis	Star
2.81		Beta Draconis	Binary star system
2.81		Tau Scorpii	Star
2.81		Lambda Sagittarii	Star
2.82		Alpha Tucanae	Binary star system
2.83	2.81	Delta Capricorni	Quadruple star system
2.84	2.78	Gamma Pegasi	Star
2.84		Beta Leporis	Star
2.84		Alpha Hydri	Star
2.85		Beta Arae	Star
2.85		Zeta Persei	Star
2.85		Beta Trianguli Australis	Star
2.87	2.75	Mu Geminorum	Star
2.87		Delta Cygni	Triple star system	Suspected variable star
2.87		Alcyone	Triple star system
2.88		Pi Sagittarii	Triple star system
2.88		Theta Eridani	Binary star system
2.89	2.84	Beta Canis Minoris	Star
2.89	2.86	Sigma Scorpii	Quadruple star system
2.89	2.88	Epsilon Persei	Binary star system
2.89		Gamma Trianguli Australis	Star
2.89		Beta Aquarii	Star
2.91	2.82	Pi Scorpii	Triple star system
2.93	2.91[35]	Gamma Persei	Binary star system
2.93		Tau Puppis	Binary star system
2.94	2.88	Gamma Eridani	Star
2.94		Delta Corvi	Star
2.94		Alpha Aquarii	Star
2.95	2.79	Alpha Arae	Star
2.95		Eta Pegasi	Binary star system
2.98	2.94	Mu1 Scorpii	Binary star system
2.98	2.95[36]	Epsilon Leonis	Star
2.98		Epsilon Corvi	Star
2.98		Epsilon Geminorum	Star
2.99	2.92	Epsilon Aurigae	Triple star system
2.99		Zeta Aquilae	Binary star system
2.99		Gamma2 Sagittarii	Star
2.99		Upsilon Carinae	Binary star system
2.99		Zeta Canis Majoris	Binary star system	Suspected variable star
2.992		Iota1 Scorpii	Star
3.00		Gamma Hydrae	Star
3.00		Beta Trianguli	Binary star system
3.002		Gamma Ursae Minoris	Star
3.01		Delta Persei	Star
3.01		Psi Ursae Majoris	Star
3.01		Gamma Gruis	Star
3.01[i]		Beta Capricorni	Quintuple star system
3.02	2.97	Omicron2 Canis Majoris	Star
3.03	2.88	Zeta Tauri	Binary star system
3.04[7]	3.02	Gamma Boötis	Binary star system
3.04[7]		Beta Muscae	Binary star system
3.05		Mu Ursae Majoris	Binary star system	Suspected variable star
3.07		Delta Draconis	Star
3.076		Zeta Arae	Star
3.08	2.74	Alpha Herculis	Triple star system
3.08		Albireo	Double star
3.10		Zeta Hydrae	Star
3.11	3.05	Eta Sagittarii	Binary star system
3.11		Alpha Indi	Star
3.11		Nu Hydrae	Star
3.11		Kappa Centauri	Binary star system
3.12		Beta Columbae	Star
3.13		Delta Herculis	Binary star system
3.139	3.12	HR 3803	Star
3.14	3.12[39]	Alpha Lyncis	Star
3.14		Lambda Centauri	Star
3.14		Iota Ursae Majoris	Quadruple star system
3.140		Phi Sagittarii	Star
3.17	3.16[40]	Nu Puppis	Star	Suspected variable star
3.17		Zeta Draconis	Binary star system
3.18		Eta Aurigae	Star
3.18		Epsilon Leporis	Star
3.18		Theta Ursae Majoris	Star	Suspected variable star
3.18		Pi Herculis	Star	Slightly variable
3.19	3.18	Alpha Circini	Star
3.190		Pi3 Orionis	Star
3.20		Kappa Ophiuchi	Star	Suspected variable star
3.21[7]	3.18[41]	Gamma Cephei	Binary star system
3.21	3.20	Sigma Librae	Star
3.21		G Scorpii	Star
3.21		Zeta Cygni	Binary star system
3.22[7]	3.20	Delta Lupi	Star
3.22		Theta Aquilae	Binary star system
3.23	3.16[42]	Beta Cephei	Binary star system
3.23		Epsilon Ophiuchi	Star
3.25	3.23[43]	Sigma Puppis	Binary star system
3.25		Eta Serpentis	Star
3.250		Gamma Lyrae	Star
3.26	3.22[44]	Gamma Hydri	Star
3.26	3.25	Theta Ophiuchi	Triple star system
3.27	3.24	PP Carinae	Star
3.28	3.15	Eta Geminorum	Triple star system
3.28	3.26	Alpha Doradus	Binary star system
3.28		Delta Aquarii	Star
3.28		Pi Hydrae	Star
3.28		Delta Andromedae	Binary star system
3.29	2.97	Mu Leporis	Star
3.29		Iota Draconis	Star	Suspected variable star
3.30		Alpha Pictoris	Star
3.30		Beta Phoenicis	Binary star system
3.30		Xi Puppis	Triple star system
3.31		Tau Sagittarii	Star
3.320		Megrez	Star
3.33		Eta Scorpii	Star
3.33		Omega Carinae	Star
3.34		Gamma Arae	Star
3.34		Nu Ophiuchi	Star
3.35	3.17	V337 Carinae	Star
3.35	3.31	Eta Orionis	Quadruple star system
3.35		Theta Leonis	Star
3.35[7]		Omicron Ursae Majoris	Star
3.35		Zeta Cephei	Star	Suspected variable star
3.36		Xi Geminorum	Star
3.36		Delta Aquilae	Binary star system	Maximum brightness
3.36		Alpha Reticuli	Star
3.366	3.36[45]	Epsilon Lupi	Binary star system
3.37		Epsilon Cassiopeiae	Star	Slightly variable
3.38	3.32[46]	Delta Virginis	Star
3.38		Epsilon Hydrae	Quintuple star system
3.38		Zeta Virginis	Binary star system	Slightly variable
3.386	3.38	Nu Centauri	Binary star system
3.39	3.30	Rho Persei	Star
3.39[7]		Meissa	Double star
3.408		Beta Pavonis	Star
3.410	3.35	Theta2 Tauri	Binary star system
3.41	3.37	Lambda Tauri	Triple star system
3.41	3.39	Gamma Phoenicis	Binary star system
3.41		Zeta Pegasi	Star
3.41		Zeta Lupi	Star
3.41		Eta Cephei	Star
3.41		Eta Lupi	Triple star system
3.41		Zeta Leonis	Double star
3.42	3.25	Beta Lyrae	Triple star system
3.42	3.41[47]	Alpha Trianguli	Binary star system
3.42		Mu Herculis	Quadruple star system
3.43	2.92	Mu Centauri	Star
3.43[7]	3.41[48]	V357 Carinae	Binary star system
3.43		Lambda Aquilae	Star
3.431		Chi Carinae	Star
3.44		Eta Cassiopeiae	Binary star system	Suspected variable star
3.45		Lambda Ursae Majoris	Star
3.45		Eta Ceti	Star
3.466		Epsilon Gruis	Star
3.47	3.41[49]	Sigma Canis Majoris	Star
3.47		Gamma Sagittae	Star
3.47		Gamma Ceti	Triple star system
3.48[7]		Eta Leonis	Multiple star system
3.48		Mu Pegasi	Star
3.49[7]	3.47[50]	Beta Boötis	Star
3.49[7]		Alpha Telescopii	Star	Suspected variable star
3.49		Nu Ursae Majoris	Star
3.49		Delta Boötis	Double star
3.50		Tau Ceti	Star
3.50		Eta Herculis	Star
3.51		Xi2 Sagittarii	Star
3.519		Xi Serpentis	Triple star system
3.52		Beta Cancri	Binary star system	Suspected variable star
3.52[7]		Phi Velorum	Star
3.52		Omicron Leonis	Binary star system
3.53		Epsilon Tauri	Star
3.53		Mu Serpentis	Binary star system
3.53		Delta Geminorum	Triple star system
3.54		Iota Cephei	Star
3.54		Xi Hydrae	Star
3.54		Delta Eridani	Star	Suspected variable star
3.54[51]		Iota Lupi	Star	Maximum brightness
3.546		Phi1 Lupi	Star
3.55	3.54[52]	Iota Ceti	Star
3.55		Theta Pegasi	Binary star system
3.55		Kappa Ursae Majoris	Binary star system
3.559		Lambda Geminorum	Triple star system
3.56		Upsilon4 Eridani	Binary star system
3.56		Delta Pavonis	Star
3.56		Delta Crateris	Star
3.56		Mu2 Scorpii	Star
3.57		Epsilon Crucis	Star
3.57		Phi Eridani	Star
3.57		Kappa Geminorum	Binary star system
3.57		51 Andromedae	Star
3.58		Alpha2 Capricorni	Triple star system
3.580		Chi Draconis	Binary star system
3.581		Eta Pavonis	Star
3.589		Upsilon Librae	Star
3.59		Rho Boötis	Star
3.59		Tau Orionis	Star
3.59		Theta Ceti	Star
3.60		Gamma Leporis	Star
3.60		Theta Geminorum	Star
3.60		Psi Velorum	Binary star system
3.60		Beta Virginis	Star
3.600		Omicron Tauri	Binary star system
3.61		Lambda Hydrae	Binary star system
3.61		Delta Muscae	Binary star system
3.61		HD 63032	Binary star system
3.62		Delta Arae	Star
3.620		Eta Piscium	Binary star system
3.63	3.55	Omicron Velorum	Star
3.63		Beta Delphini	Binary star system
3.82[53]	3.5[54]	Beta Doradus	Star
3.87[55]	3.480[56]	Eta Aquilae	Triple star system
3.89	3.42	Kappa Canis Majoris	Star
4.06[57]	3.35[57]	HD 84810	Star
4.07	3.48	Delta Cephei	Quadruple star system
4.24	3.3	Chi Cygni	Star
4.97	3.5	R Hydrae	Star
5.68[6]	5.38[6]	Uranus	Planet
6.53	2.0	Mira	Binary star system
6.79	5.1	4 Vesta	Asteroid

See also

• Apparent magnitude
• Bayer designation
• Extraterrestrial sky
• Historical brightest stars
• List of brightest stars
• List of nearest bright stars
• List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs

Notes

1. Maximum brightness derived from the average magnitude (−26.74^[1]), taking into account the Earth's orbital eccentricity (0.0167^[2]) as per the formula: ${\displaystyle -26.78\approx -2.5\log _{10}{\frac {10^{-26.74\cdot -0.4}}{(1-0.0167)^{2}}}}$
2. Average brightness derived from the magnitude of the average full moon (−12.74^[3]), assuming a quarter Moon is one-sixth as bright as the average full moon,^[4] as per the formula: ${\displaystyle -10.79\approx -2.5\log _{10}{\frac {10^{-12.74\cdot -0.4}}{6}}}$
3. Maximum brightness derived from the magnitude of the average full moon (−12.74^[3]), taking into account the Earth's orbital eccentricity (0.0167^[2]) and the Moon's orbital eccentricity (0.0554^[5]) as per the formula: ${\displaystyle -12.90\approx -2.5\log _{10}{\frac {10^{-12.74\cdot -0.4}}{(1-0.0167)^{2}\left(1-0.0554\right)^{2}}}}$
4. Combined magnitude derived from adding the magnitudes of Gamma² Velorum (1.83^[13]) and Gamma¹ Velorum (4.173 ± 0.009^[14]) as per the formula: ${\displaystyle 1.71\approx -2.5\log _{10}\left(10^{-0.4\cdot 1.83}+10^{-0.4\cdot 4.173}\right)}$
5. Combined magnitude from adding the magnitudes of Gamma² Velorum (1.81 maximum^[15]) and Gamma¹ Velorum (4.173 ± 0.009^[14]) as per the formula: ${\displaystyle 1.69\approx -2.5\log _{10}\left(10^{-0.4\cdot 1.81}+10^{-0.4\cdot 4.173}\right)}$
6. Combined magnitude derived from adding the magnitudes of Mizar A (2.220 ±0.003^[19]) and Mizar B (3.88^[20]) as per the formula: ${\displaystyle 2.01\approx -2.5\log _{10}\left(10^{-0.4\cdot 2.220}+10^{-0.4\cdot 3.88}\right)}$
7. Combined magnitude derived from adding the magnitudes of Alpha² Canum Venaticorum (2.88^[32]) and Alpha¹ Canum Venaticorum (5.60^[33]) as per the formula: ${\displaystyle 2.79\approx -2.5\log _{10}\left(10^{-0.4\cdot 2.88}+10^{-0.4\cdot 5.60}\right)}$
8. Combined magnitude derived from adding the magnitudes of Alpha² Canum Venaticorum (2.84 maximum^[34]) and Alpha¹ Canum Venaticorum (5.60^[33]) as per the formula: ${\displaystyle 2.76\approx -2.5\log _{10}\left(10^{-0.4\cdot 2.84}+10^{-0.4\cdot 5.60}\right)}$
9. Combined magnitude derived from adding the magnitudes of Beta¹ Capricorni (3.08^[37]) and Beta² Capricorni (6.10^[38]) as per the formula: ${\displaystyle 3.01\approx -2.5\log _{10}\left(10^{-0.4\cdot 3.08}+10^{-0.4\cdot 6.10}\right)}$