Named Stars

Stars have had names since man first looked up at the sky. The brightest stars have names in every major language. Vega, the fourth brightest star in the sky, has over 40 known names in as many cultures and languages. Most star names come from far in the past. The Greeks and Egyptians named many of the stars and some of these names are still used by modern astronomers. The great Moslem astronomers of medieval Arabia named many visible stars and we still use many of the ancient names.

This list shows the major named stars. The number is the magnitude of the star. Smaller numbers means brighter stars with Sirius being the brightest.

Marfak (Algenib) Dubhe Al Wazor Kaus Australis She (Avior) Benetnasch (Alkaid) Sargas Menkalinam Ras al Muthallath (Atria) Almisan (Alhena) Joo Tseo (Peacock) Koo She Murzim Alphard Hamal Polaris Nunki Deneb Kaitos (Diphda) Alnitak Alpheratz(Sirrah) Mirach Alamach Haratan (Menkent) Saiph Ras Alhague Kochab Al Dhanab Algol Denebola Koo Low Sirius Canopus Rigil Kent Arcturus Vega Capella Rigel Procyon Archenar Beteigeuse Hadar Altair Aldebaran Spica Antares Pollux Fomalhaut Deneb Mimosa Regulus Adhara Acrux Castor Gacrux Shaula Bellatrix El Nath Miaplacidus Alnilam Al Na`ir Alioth Regor Sadr Suhail Schedir Alphecca (Gemma) Etamin Mintaka Caph Tureis (Aspidiske) Suhail Hadar (Naos) Mizar Wei alpha Lup epsilon Cen eta Cen Dschubba Merak Ankaa epsilon Peg kappa Sco Scheat Alderamin Phecda Aludra epsilon Cyg Cih Markab kappa Vel