                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2022 December 18

                     25 Brightest Stars in the Night Sky
            Image Credit & Copyright: Tragoolchitr Jittasaiyapan

   Explanation: Do you know the names of some of the brightest stars? It's
   likely that you do, even though some bright stars have names so old
   they date back to near the beginning of written language. Many world
   cultures have their own names for the brightest stars, and it is
   culturally and historically important to remember them. In the interest
   of clear global communication, however, the International Astronomical
   Union (IAU) has begun to designate standardized star names. Featured
   here in true color are the 25 brightest stars in the night sky,
   currently as seen by humans, coupled with their IAU-recognized names.
   Some star names have interesting meanings, including Sirius ("the
   scorcher" in Latin), Vega ("falling" in Arabic), and Antares ("rival to
   Mars" in Greek). You are likely even familiar with the name of at least
   one star too dim to make this list: Polaris.

                  Almost Hyperspace: Random APOD Generator
                  Tomorrow's picture: interstellar tadpoles
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

