Howstuffworks "Sirius - Encyclopedia Entry"

Learn about Stars and get information on topics related to Stars.

Related Categories:

> Biographies
> Constellations
> Instruments
> Observatories &…
> Solar System
> Terms & Theories
> Time

REFERENCE LINKS

Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this How Stuff Works article:

"Sirius." 30 August 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://reference.howstuffworks.com/sirius-encyclopedia.htm> 10 May 2008.

Sirius

Sirius, SIHR ee uhs, also called the Dog Star, is the brightest star that can be seen from the earth at night. Sirius has a diameter more than twice as large as that of the sun, and it gives off nearly 30 times as much light. It is a star of the first magnitude (see Star).

Related Topics:

Star is a huge, shining ball in space that produces a tremendous amount of light and other forms of energy. The sun is a star, and it supplies… More>>

Star cluster is a large grouping of stars held together by their gravitational attraction to one another. The stars in a cluster move as a group.… More>>

Binary, BY nuhr ee, star or double star, is a pair of stars that are close together and cannot escape from each other. The stars hold each other… More>>

Nova is an explosion that causes a star to become from 10,000 to 100,000 times as bright as the sun. The star may shine this brightly for a week, a… More>>

Capella, kuh PEHL uh, also known as Alpha Aurigae, ranks as the seventh brightest star in the sky. As seen from Earth, only the sun and five other… More>>

Quasar