Carina
Home of the sky's second-brightest star
Best on December–February evenings · far-southern sky.
Carina is the keel of the mythical ship Argo, a large and rewarding southern constellation packed with bright stars. It rides low or never rises for most northern observers, but from southern latitudes it's a showpiece of the summer sky. Its claim to fame is Canopus, the second-brightest star in the entire night sky.
How to find it
Best seen on December through February evenings from the southern hemisphere, when it climbs high in the south. Canopus is easy to pick out on its own — it blazes so brightly that nothing nearby competes. From Australia or South America, look south and slightly west after dark in midsummer; that brilliant white beacon is Canopus, and the rest of Carina fans out around it toward the Milky Way.
Brightest stars
Canopus (α Car) dominates at magnitude -0.72, making it the brightest star in the constellation and second only to Sirius in the whole sky — a white supergiant so luminous it stops you cold. Miaplacidus (β Car) follows at magnitude 1.68, with Avior (ε Car) at 1.86 and Aspidiske (ι Car) at 2.25 rounding out a genuinely brilliant quartet.
Worth seeing
Canopus alone is worth the trip south — that steady, brilliant white light sitting above the southern horizon is one of the sky's great sights, and tracing the bright arc of stars from Miaplacidus through Avior to Aspidiske rewards any patient sweep of the area.
Frequently asked
When is Carina visible?
December through February evenings are the prime time, when it rides high in the southern sky. From northern latitudes it barely clears the horizon or doesn't rise at all — this is fundamentally a southern hemisphere constellation.
What are the brightest stars in Carina?
Canopus leads at magnitude -0.72, the second-brightest star in the entire night sky. Miaplacidus (1.68), Avior (1.86), and Aspidiske (2.25) follow, making Carina unusually rich in bright stars.
Which hemisphere is Carina best seen from?
The southern hemisphere, where Carina climbs high and Canopus can be seen blazing near the zenith on midsummer evenings. From most of Europe and the continental US it stays below the horizon.
Nearby constellations
Crux · Puppis · Columba · Centaurus · Triangulum Australe · Canis Major · Hydra · Corvus