Curious about stargazing? Start with the brightest stars visible to the naked eye! Whether you're in a city or the countryside, these stars shine across the Northern Hemisphere throughout the year. Here’s your guide to spotting them:

Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris), apparent magnitude -1.46 — Best seen in winter (south).
Known as the “scorcher,” Sirius is Earth’s brightest star after the Sun. Look south from Orion’s Belt.

Arcturus (Alpha Bootis), apparent magnitude -0.05 — Best seen in spring (southeast), summer (south), and fall (west).
Named “guardian of the bear,” Arcturus guides near Ursa Major. Follow the arc from the Big Dipper.

Vega (Alpha Lyrae), apparent magnitude 0.03 — Best seen in summer (east) and fall (west/northwest).
Vega, part of the Summer Triangle, shines blue-white and peaks overhead during summer.

Capella (Alpha Aurigae), apparent magnitude 0.08 — Best seen in fall (northeast) and spring (northwest).
Brightest in Auriga, Capella is nicknamed “little she-goat” and stands out in the winter sky.

Rigel (Beta Orionis), apparent magnitude 0.18 — Best seen in winter (south).
Orion’s brightest star, Rigel, appears blue-white and marks the constellation’s foot.

Procyon (Alpha Canis Minoris), apparent magnitude 0.40 — Best seen in winter (south) and spring (west).
Known as “before the dog,” Procyon is near Sirius and visible to the left of Orion’s Belt.

Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis), apparent magnitude 0.45 — Best seen in winter (south).
Betelgeuse, Orion’s armpit, is a red supergiant and one of the sky’s most recognizable stars.

Altair (Alpha Aquilae), apparent magnitude 0.76 — Best seen in summer (southeast) and fall (southwest).
Found in the Summer Triangle, Altair rotates rapidly and shines as a bright blue-white star.

Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri), apparent magnitude 0.87 — Best seen in fall (east) and winter (southwest).
This orange star, “The Follower,” is located near the constellation Taurus and Orion’s Belt.

Antares (Alpha Scorpii), apparent magnitude 1.06 — Best seen in summer (south).
Antares, resembling a beating heart, is the brightest in Scorpius and rivals Mars in color.

Enjoy exploring these celestial wonders throughout the seasons! Happy stargazing!

Summer Solstice 2024: When is the Longest Day of the Year? All You Need to Know

NASA to Train ISRO Astronauts for ISS Mission, Enhancing Space Collaboration