12 Stars You Should Know

Star Name Location Note

Sirius (SI-ree-us) Big Dog Appears to be the brightest of
all stars because it is nearest of
those on this list (9 l.y.). Has
white dwarf companion. Winter
Triangle
Betelgeuse (BETT-ul-jooz) Shoulder of Orion Huge red supergiant, the size of
the orbit of Jupiter. In Orion
cluster with Rigel and on the
celestial equator. Winter
Triangle
Procyon (PROH-see-on) Canis Minor Brightest star in the
constellation of Canis Minor
and usually the eighth-brightest
star in the night sky. Winter
Triangle.
Rigel (RYE-jell) Foot of Orion Very Distant Blue supergiant:
greatest true brightness on this
list. Dominates our Orion arm
of our Galaxy.
Aldebaran (al-DEB-a-ran) Eye the Bull Red Giant. One of 4 royal stars
near ecliptic.
Antares (an-TAIR-ees) Heart of the Scorpion Red Supergiant, almost as large
as Betelgeuse. One of 4 royal
stars near ecliptic.
Arcturus Boötes (the Herdsman) One of the brightest stars in the
night sky and the brightest in
the northern celestial
hemisphere. It is an orange
giant star, approximately 37
light-years away. Arcturus is
part of the Spring Triangle and
is known for its rapid proper
motion across the sky. It is also
one of the first stars to be
 mentioned in ancient
astronomical records.
Polaris (poe-LAIR-us) Little Bear The Pole Star, so-called
because it is currently within 1°
of the North Celestial Pole. A
second magnitude Cepheid
variable. It can be found by
using the stars Dubhe and
Merak, the "Pointer Stars" of
the Big Dipper.
Mintaka (min-TOK-a) Orion's Belt Meaning "Belt," it is the
western star of Orion's belt. All
three belt stars are type O-B
supergiants, being about
30,000° surface temperature;
and over 10,000 times the
brightness of the sun. Mintaka
is almost exactly on the
celestial equator.
Altair (al-TAIR) Head of the Eagle Nearby White Main Sequence.
In Summer Triangle.
Deneb (DEN-ebb) Tail of the Swan The most distant on this list:
1,500 l.y.; one of the brightest
stars intrinsically. In summer
triangle.
Vega (VEE-ga) Lyre Nearby White Main Sequence.
In summer Triangle.
8 Constellations You Should Know
Constellation Name Location in the Sky Key Features
Orion Winter Sky One of the most
recognizable
constellations.
Contains bright stars
like Betelgeuse, Rigel,
and the three stars of
Orion’s Belt. Orion is
also home to the
Orion Nebula (M42),
a stellar nursery
visible to the naked
eye.
Ursa Major Northern Sky Contains the Big
Dipper, an asterism
that is one of the
most famous star
patterns. The two
stars at the end of
the Dipper’s bowl
(Dubhe and Merak)
point to Polaris, the
North Star.
Ursa Minor Northern Sky Contains the
Little Dipper, with
Polaris (the North
Star) at the end of its
handle. Polaris is
crucial for navigation
as it marks the north
celestial pole
Leo Spring Sky A prominent zodiac
constellation. Its
brightest star,
Regulus, is part of the
"Sickle" asterism,
 which resembles a
backward question
mark. Leo is easy to
spot due to its
distinctive shape.
Cygnus Summer Sky Known as the
"Northern Cross,"
Cygnus is part of the
Summer Triangle
(with Deneb, Vega,
and Altair). It lies
along the Milky Way
and contains the
bright star Deneb,
one of the brightest
stars in the sky.
Scorpius Summer Sky A striking zodiac
constellation shaped
like a scorpion. Its
brightest star,
Antares, is a red
supergiant and marks
the "heart" of the
scorpion. Scorpius is
best seen in the
southern sky during
summer.
Cassiopeia Northern Sky A distinctive "W" or
"M" shape
(depending on its
position in the sky).
Cassiopeia is
circumpolar in the
northern hemisphere,
meaning it is visible
year-round. It lies
opposite the Big
 Dipper relative to
Polaris.
Taurus Winter Sky A zodiac
constellation
featuring the bright
star Aldebaran and
the Pleiades (M45), a
famous open star
cluster. Taurus is also
home to the Crab
Nebula (M1), a
supernova remnant.

Why These Constellations?

• Orion: Easily recognizable and rich in bright stars and deep-sky

objects.
• Ursa Major and Ursa Minor: Essential for finding Polaris and
understanding celestial navigation.
• Leo: A prominent zodiac constellation with a clear shape.
• Cygnus: Part of the Summer Triangle and lies along the Milky
Way, making it a great target for stargazing.
• Scorpius: A striking constellation with a clear shape and bright
stars.
• Cassiopeia: A circumpolar constellation with a distinctive shape,
visible year-round in the northern hemisphere.
• Taurus: Features bright stars and the Pleiades, a beautiful star
cluster.