What’s the Brightest Star in the Sky? Depends on the Season

As far as astronomers are concerned, Sirius is objectively the brightest star visible from Earth (apart from the sun, of course). To measure star brightness, they use the magnitude scale, where lower numbers indicate brighter stars. Sirius has a magnitude of -1.46, a lower magnitude than any other star in the night sky.

From mid-December to February, Sirius dominates the night skies. These months correlate to winter in the northern hemisphere and to summer in the southern hemisphere.

Because it’s located in the constellation Canis Major (the Great Dog), a common nickname for Sirius is the “Dog Star.” And at just 8.7 light years away, Sirius is not only the brightest star but also the single closest star to Earth (again, after the sun).

How to Spot Sirius

While Sirius is visible in both hemispheres for several months out of the year, it’s most prominent from December to February.

To find Sirius in the northern hemisphere, look toward the southern horizon in the early evening during the winter months. If you can locate Canis Major, it’s the brightest star in that constellation.

In the southern hemisphere, Sirius is visible high overhead in the summer months.