Starwatch: wildly twinkling Sirius outshines the sun – The Guardian

Starwatch
The winter sky in the northern hemisphere is filled with delights. This week search out the brightest star in the night sky, and from there explore that stars parent constellation of Canis Major, the greater dog.
The star in question is Sirius. Situated just 8.6 light years away, it contains about twice the mass of the sun and shines more than 25 times more brightly. The chart shows the view looking south from London at midnight on 29 December. Sirius will be unmistakable. The chances…

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