Sirius is in the constellation Canis Major, a southern constellation bordering on Monoceros, Lepus, Columba, and Puppis. Sirus will become fainter but will remain the brightest star in the sky for thousands of years. Eventually, the distance between Earth and Sirius will increase. There are few stars that are closer to Earth, but none of them can match Sirius’ magnitude.īased on calculations from the European Space Agency’s Hipparcos satellite, Sirius will continue to increase in brightness over the next 60,000 years, as Sirius gradually moves closer. Sirius’ brightness can be attributed to its luminosity and proximity at a distance of 8.6 light-years. Typically, the only objects that outshine Sirius in our night sky are the sun, moon, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and sometimes Mercury. The name Sirius stems from the Greek word Seirios, meaning ‘scorching’ or ‘glowing’. Sirius is also known as the ‘ Dog star’ because it is part of the constellation Canis Major, which is Latin for “the greater dog.” Sirius is known for being the brightest star in the night sky and is nearly twice as bright as the next brightest star, Canopus with a magnitude of -1.46.

Stellarium web online star map