# Fact - 21 This is a list of the brightest individual stars in determined by their average apparent magnitudes in the visible spectrum as seen from Earth. This is not the same as a list of the brightest stars as seen with the naked eye, as close binary or multiple star systems will appear as a single star with an apparent magnitude greater than their individual components, e.g. the binary system Rigel Kentaurus has an apparent magnitude of -0.27, but the brightest individual star is Alpha Centauri A with the apparent magnitude as listed here of -0.01. Hence Alpha Centauri is the third brightest star in the night sky, whilst its brightest component Alpha Centauri A is the fourth brightest individual star. Stellar brightness in this selected table is limited to brighter than +2.50 magnitude, mostly as the available number of observable stars increases almost exponentially as the magnitude increases.To the naked eye on a clear dark night, in a location far from cities and lights, the total number of stars visible is around 9000 (9110 total objects in the Bright Star Catalogue of naked eye stars, including 9096 stars, ten novae or supernovae, and four clusters). Stars visible through optical aid increase this even further. Telescopically, the entire nights sky has been mapped, photographed and catalogued almost completely down to 11th magnitude, and recent star surveys are continuing to catalogue much fainter stars. # Fun N Facts ( join us to know about more intersting facts of our Universe and supplement your knowledge )
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 13:42:48 +0000
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