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With thanks to all, STARS celebrates over 2.8 million visitors!


STARS and STAR OF THE WEEK

Updated Each Friday With A New Star

Star Count: 562

Created by Jim Kaler, Prof. Emeritus of Astronomy, University of Illinois

Welcome! STARS presents a comprehensive suite of pages that tell the stories of stars and their constellations. Please explore and enjoy. The stars listed below have all appeared as a Star of the Week on Skylights. The first two tables list the stars alphabetically by proper name (where available, otherwise by Greek letter name, catalogue number, or variable star designation). Stars known principally by Flamsteed number are listed in the third table. The fourth table then arranges the stars by Greek letter name within their parent constellations, which are linked to labelled photographs that show the stars' locations.

STARS now contains:

Note to readers: The temperatures of the stars are in degrees Kelvin, which are centigrade (Celsius) degrees above absolute zero, -273 degrees C (-459 degrees F). Stellar and orbital radii are commonly given in Astronomical Units, where the AU is the average distance between the Earth and Sun (technically the semi-major axis of the Earth's orbit), equal to 150 million kilometers or 93 million miles, or in solar radii, where the solar radius is 696,000 km (432,000 miles). Stellar distances are in light years, where the light year is the distance light travels in one year, equal to 63,270 AU (and 0.3066 parsecs, where the parsec equals 206,265 AU, 3.2616 light years). Unless a star is too far away, or is determined by other more precise means, its distance is taken from the original Hipparcos parallax catalogue.

PLACES TO GO

Skylights presents the weekly sky and a photo of the week. Stars arranged by spectral class and variable star class using proper names. Stars arranged by spectral class and variable star class using Greek letter names.
The Natures of the Stars provides a linked introduction to stars and star lives. SPECTRA provides a linked and illustrated introduction to the spectra of the stars. The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram presents the different kinds of stars and an introduction to star lives.
The Constellations presents a complete linked list along locations and brightest stars. Constellation Maps shows the locations of the constellations on six charts. Tour the Milky Way as seen from the northern hemisphere.
The 151 Brightest Stars, through magnitude 2.90. The Planet Project shows stars with orbiting planets. Visit prominent star clusters and enjoy Poor Blue Straggler.
Take a trip to the Galaxy's Anticenter, its variables and clusters. Pages from Classical Star Atlases. See a deep photo and naked-eye polar stars in the Polar Project (including notes on density and selection).
Read more on stars on the Stellar Stories Pages. See Measuring the Sky to learn about the celestial sphere. Read a brief discussion of Star Names.
The Greek alphabet, used in naming stars. See planets move against the background stars. Find out what happened in astronomy on the Astronomy Update Pages.
Skylights has an Archive and Photo Gallery back to September 25, 1998. See sunsets, rainbows, the Moon and planets, and other sky phenomena in Sunlight. Go from Day Into Night, with 83 linked illustrations.
The Aurora, with an explanation and images. See aspects of the Moon at Moon Light. Love the stars? The StarGazer may be playing in a planetarium near you.
The History and Philosophy of the site. Take a ride aboard Asteroid 17581 Kaler (1998 JK). Examine a variety of Jim Kaler's books about stars.

See SG Logo

ASPSupport science literacy by joining the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, an international organization that is among the world's premier providers of astro education. Get Mercury and a variety of other benefits; see some excerpts.

Presenting two audio courses with 100-page study guides, narrated and written by Jim Kaler.
Astronomy: Earth, Sky, and Planets, is available from Recorded Books. Astronomy: Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe, is also now available from Recorded Books.
Astronomy: Earth, Sky, and Planets is published as Vault of the Heavens: Exploring the Solar System's Place in the Universe by Barnes and Noble.

NEW AUDIO COURSE! Heavens Above: Stars, Constellations, and the Sky from Recorded Books.

NEW FOR SUMMER: Tour the Milky Way.

The new star, for August 8, 2008, is Chi Her (Chi Herculis).

The past ten stars were, for:

NEW IMAGES FOR SUMMER:

YET ANOTHER GREATLY IMPROVED IMAGE: DRACO, THE DRAGON.

New in the Planet Project: HD 47186 Canis Majoris, a star with a "superearth."

ALSO New in the Planet Project: HR 6817 Draconis.

Recent addition to the Planet Project: Kappa Coronae Borealis.

New star atlas picture: Bode's Virgo and Libra.

Updates within the past year are indicated in the tables below by an asterisk (*); stars with illustrations are marked by "&," those with planets in the Planet Project by "#."

New update: Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis).

Recent updates: Dschubba (Delta Scorpii), Naos (Zeta Puppis, with illustration), and Theta-1 Orionis (The Trapezium).

STARS: A-K

Acamar Achernar Achird Acrux Acubens Adhafera
Adhara AE Aur Ain # Aladfar Albaldah Albireo
Alchiba Alcor Alcyone Aldebaran Alderamin Al Dhanab
Al Dhibain "Prior" Alfecca Meridiana Alfirk Algedi Algenib Algenubi
Algieba Algol & Algorab Alhena Alifa al Farkadain Alioth
Al Kab Alkaid Alkalurops Alkes Almaaz & Almach
Al Nair Alnasl Alnilam Alnitak Al Niyat (Sigma) Al Niyat (Tau)
Alpha Ant Alpha Aps Alpha Ara Alpha Cae Alpha Cam Alpha Cha
Alpha Cir Alpha Dor Alpha For Alpha Hor Alpha Hyi Alpha Lac
Alpha Lyn Alpha Men Alpha Mic Alpha Mon Alpha Mus Alpha Oct
Alpha Pic Alpha Pyx Alpha Ret Alpha Scl Alpha Sct Alpha Sext
Alpha Tel Alpha Tuc Alpha Vol Alphard Alphecca (Gemma) Alpheratz
Alrescha Alsafi Alsciaukat Alshain Altair & Al Tarf
Aludra Alula Australis & Alula Borealis Alya Al Zirr Ankaa
Anser Antares Anwar al Farkadain Arcturus Arkab Posterior Arkab Prior
Arneb Ascella Asellus Primus Asmidiske Aspidiske Atik
Atlas Atria Avior Azha Barnard's Star Baten Kaitos
Beid Bellatrix Beta Ara Beta Cam Beta Com Beta CrA
Beta Dor & Beta Gru Beta Hya Beta Hyi Beta LMi & Beta Lup
Beta Mon Beta Pic Beta Sct Beta TrA Beta Tri Beta Tuc
Betelgeuse Canopus Capella & Caph Castor Cebalrai
Celaeno Chara Chertan Chi Aqr Chi Car Chi Cyg
Chi Eri Chi Her Chi Lup Chi-1 Ori & Chi-2 Ori Cor Caroli
Cursa Cygnus X-1 & Dabih Delta Aql Delta Aur & Delta Boo
Delta Cen Delta Cep Delta Cet Delta-1 CMi Delta Crb Delta Crt
Delta Cru Delta Cyg Delta Del Delta Equ Delta-1 Gru Delta-2 Gru
Delta Her Delta-1 Lyr & Delta-2 Lyr & Delta Per Delta Sct Delta Ser
Delta Sge & Delta Tri Delta Vel & Delta Vir Deneb & Deneb Algedi
Deneb Al Okab Aus Deneb Al Okab Bor Deneb Kaitos Denebola Diadem Dschubba*
Dubhe Edasich # Electra Elnath Eltanin Enif
Eps And Eps Cen Eps Cep Eps CrA Eps Eri # Eps Her
Eps Hya Eps Ind Eps Lyr & Eps Mus Eps Per Eps Sco
Eps UMi Errai # Eta Aql & Eta Aqr Eta Car Eta Cen
Eta CMi Eta Crv & Eta Leo Eta Sco Eta Sgr Fomalhaut
Fum al Samakah Furud Gacrux Gamma Ara Gamma Cas Gamma CrB &
Gamma Del Gamma Dor Gamma Her Gamma Hya Gamma Hyi Gamma Lep
Gamma Mic Gamma-2 Nor Gamma Per Gamma Phe Gamma Psc Gamma Ser
Gamma Sge Gamma TrA Gamma Tri Gamma Vol Garnet Star & Giausar
Gienah Corvi Gienah Cygni Girtab Gomeisa Gorgonea Tertia Graffias (Acrab)
Hadar (Agena) & Haedus I & Haedus II & Hamal Heze HD 8734 Psc #
HD 20367 Ari # HD 50554 Gem # HD 188753 Cyg # HD 195019 Del # HD 210277 Aqr # Hind's Crimson &
Homam HR 6 Phe # HR 286 UMi & HR 306 Cep & HR 1107 Cep & HR 1988 Ori #
HR 2447 CMa # HR 2622 Mon # HR 2877 Gem # HR 3497 Vel # HR 4067 UMa # HR 4686 UMi &
HR 6094 Sco # HR 6817 Dra # HR 6907 Sgr # HR 7272 Lyr # HR 7291 Sgr # HR 7907 Del #
HR 8938 Cep & Hyadum I Hyadum II Hydor Iota Cas & Iota Cen
Iota Cnc Iota Her Iota Hor # Iota Lib & Iota Per Iota Psc
Iota-1 Sco Iota-2 Sco Izar Jabbah Kaffaljidhma Kakkab
Kappa Cas Kappa-1 Cet & Kappa Cnc Kappa CrB # Kappa Dra Kappa Psc
Kappa Sco Kappa Ser Kappa Tau Kappa UMa Kaus Australis Kaus Borealis
Kaus Media Keid Kitalpha Kochab Kornephoros Kraz
Kullat Nunu Kuma Kurhah


STARS: L-Z

l Car L2 Pup La Superba Lambda And Lambda Boo Lambda Tau
Lambda UMi & Lesath Maia Marfak-East & Marfak-West & Marfik
Markab Markeb Marsic Matar Mebsuta Megrez
Meissa Mekbuda Menkalinan Menkar Menkent Menkib
Merak Merope Mesarthim Miaplacidus Mimosa Minkar
Mintaka Mira Mirach Mirfak Mirzam Mizar
Mothallah Mu Ara # Mu Cet Mu Col Mu Cru Mu Eri
Mu Her Mu Ori & Mu-1 Sco Mu Vel Muhlifain Muliphein
Muphrid Muscida Na'ir al Saif Naos &* Nashira Nekkar
Nihal Nodus Secundus Nu And Nu Aur & Nu Cep Nu CrB &
Nu Eri Nu Gem Nu Oct Nu Pup Nu Vir Nunki
Nusakan Omega Cap Omega Eri Omega Psc Omicron-1 CMa Omicron-2 CMa
Omicron-1 = 31 Cyg & Omicron-2 = 32 Cyg & OV Cep & P Cyg & Peacock The Persian
Phact Phecda Pherkad Phi And & Phi Cas & Pi Aur &
Pi Her Pi Men # Pi-4 Ori Pi-1 Peg Pi-2 Peg Pi Pup
Pi Sco & Pi-2 UMa # Plaskett's Star Pleione Polaris & Polaris Australis
Polaris Gal. Bor. Polis Pollux # Porrima Praecipua Procyon
Propus Proxima Cen Psi UMa Psi Vel q-1 Eri # R Lyr &
R Scuti & Rana Rasalas Rasalgethi & Rasalhague Rastaban
Regor Regulus Rho Boo Rho Cas Rho CrB # Rho Her
Rho Leo Rho Oph Rho Sco Rigel Rigil Kentaurus Rotanev
Ruchbah & Rukbat S = 15 Mon & Sabik Sadachbia Sadalmelik
Sadalsuud Sadr & Saif al Jabbar Saiph Scheat Seat &
Segin Seginus Sham Shaula Shedar & Sheliak
Sheratan Sigma Aql Sigma Boo Sigma CMa & Sigma CrB Sigma Gem
Sigma Ori Sirius Spica Sualocin Subra & Suhail
Sulafat The Sun Tabit Talitha Tania Australis Tania Borealis
Tarazed Tau Aur & Tau Boo # Tau Cet Tau CMa Tau-1 Gru #
Tau Per & Tau Sgr Taygeta Tejat Theta Aur Theta Car
Theta CrB Theta Dra Theta Oph Theta-1 Ori* Theta UMa Thuban
Tureis Unukalhai Ups And # Ups Aur & Ups UMa Vega &
Vindemiatrix VV Cep & VV Ori & W Boo W Ori Wasat
Wazn Wezen X Per & Xi-1 Cet Xi Cyg & Xi Peg
Xi Ser Yed Posterior Yed Prior Yildun & Zaniah Zaurak
Zavijava Zeta Aqr Zeta Boo Zeta Cap Zeta Cas & Zeta Cen
Zeta Cep Zeta Cyg & Zeta Her Zeta Lyr & Zeta Oph Zeta Per
Zeta Phe Zeta-1 Sco Zeta Tau Zosma Zubenelgenubi Zubeneschamali
Zubenhakrabi


STARS: FLAMSTEED NUMBERS

1 Gem 2 UMi & 6 Cas 6 Tri 8 Her 10 Lac 10 UMa & 12 Boo & 14 Her #
16 Cyg # 18 Sco 19 Cep 19 Psc 23 Lib # 23 UMa 24 UMi & 25 Ori 30 Her &
30 Tau 41 Ari 47 UMa # 48 Lib 51 Peg # 53 Per & 55 Cnc # 61 Cyg 67 Oph
70 Oph & 70 Vir # 78 UMa & 79 Cet # 89 Her 94 Cet # 95 Her 109 Psc # 119 = CE Tau


Constellations and their Stars


LINKS

To learn more about stars, constellations, and astronomy go to:

American Association of Variable Star Observers
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Chandra X-ray Observatory
The Constellations and their Stars
Earth and Sky, Skywatching
Earth and Sky, General Science
Hubble Space Telescope
MOST precision photometry satellite
Munich Astro Archiv Constellation Pages
The Mythology of the Constellations
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
SolStation.com
UCSD Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, Astronomy and Education Outreach
Universe Today-Space news from around the Internet, updated every weekday.
Windows to the Universe

SOURCES

The following sources were used to create the Stars of the Week. Thanks to the stellar researchers.

Allen, R. H., "Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning," Dover, New York, reprint, 1963
American Association of Variable Star Observers
The Astronomical Journal
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series
Astronomy and Astrophysics: A European Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts, Springer, Heidelberg
Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series
The Astrophysical Journal
The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Becvar, A., Skalnate Pleso Atlas of the Heavens
Berry, A., "A Short History of Astronomy," Dover, New York, reprint, 1961
Terrell, D., Mukherjee, J. D., Wilson, R. E., "Binary Stars: A Pictorial Atlas," Krieger Publ., 1992
Burnham, R., Jr., Burnham's Celestial Handbook, Dover, New York, 1978
European Southern Observatory Southern Sky Survey
Hoffleit, D. and Jaschek, C., The Bright Star Catalogue, Fourth Revised Ed., Yale University Observatory, 1982
Hoffleit, D. and Warren, W. H., Jr., Yale Bright Star Catalogue, Fifth Revision, NASA ADC, 2002
The Hipparcos and Tycho Catalogues, European Space Agency, 1998
Information Bulletin on Variable Stars
Kaler, J. B., "Stars and their Spectra," Cambridge U. Press, 1989
Kaler, J. B., "Astronomy!," HarperCollins, New York, 1994
Kaler, J. B., "Extreme Stars," Cambridge U. Press, 2001
Kaler, J. B., "The Hundred Greatest Stars," Copernicus Books, New York, 2002
Kaler, J. B., "The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Stars," Cambridge U. Press, 2006
Kunitzsch, P. and Smart, T., "Short Guide to Modern Star Names/Derivations," Harrassowitz, Berlin, 1986
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
The Observatory
Observer's Handbook, Royal Astron. Soc. Canada, R. Bishop, ed, Toronto, U. Toronto Press
Palomar Sky Survey, Palomar Observatory/California Institute of Technology
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
SIMBAD on the Web, CDS, University of Strasbourg
Sky and Telescope
Smyth, W. H. (rev. G. F. Chambers), "A Cycle of Celestial Objects," Clarendon, Oxford, 1881
Tirion, T., Sky Atlas 2000, Sky Publishing Corp., Cambridge, 1981
USNO Washington Double Star Catalog 2001.0, B.D. Mason, G.L.Wycoff, W.I.Hartkopf, G.G.Douglass, C.E.Worley
USNO Fifth Catalog of Orbits of Visual Binary Stars, W. I. Hartkopf, B. D. Mason, C. E. Worley
USNO Washington Double Star Catalog 2006.5, D. D. Mason, G. L. Wycoff, W. I. Hartkopf
USNO Sixth Catalog of Orbits of Visual Binary Stars, W. I. Hartkopf, B. D. Mason

Opening star image from the European Southern Observatory Southern Sky Survey.
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