The Canis Major constellation
Canis Major · Highest in the sky around February 2, near 22:00.
Canis Major — Canis Major in Latin — holds 148 stars visible to the naked eye. The brightest is Sirius, at magnitude -1.44.
Sirius is the brightest star in the entire sky. Not because it burns especially fiercely, but because at 8.6 light-years it is one of our nearest neighbours.
Design your own star mapChoose your own date, time and location · free EU shipping over €50
Canis Major in numbers
- Visible stars
- 148
- Bright stars
- 20
- Named stars
- 8
- Brightest star
- Sirius
Named stars in Canis Major
The brightest stars carrying a proper name, with their magnitude — the lower the number, the brighter the star.
- Sirius -1.44
- Adhara 1.50
- Wezen 1.83
- Mirzam 1.98
- Aludra 2.45
How we calculate this sky
We use the HYG star catalogue and compute every position with the IAU 1982 sidereal time formula followed by a stereographic projection — the same method professional planetarium software uses. The output is verified against NASA JPL Horizons.
This map shows the real night sky on February 2, seen from Central Europe. That is how Canis Major stands that night — exactly as it will appear on your poster if you choose that date.
Frequently asked questions about constellation posters
- Can I combine Canis Major with a date of my own?
- Yes, and that usually gives the most beautiful result. This page shows Canis Major on the evening the constellation sits highest, but in the editor you pick any date between 1900 and 2100 yourself. Choose a date on which Canis Major was above the horizon and the constellation will appear on your poster — together with the rest of the sky from that moment.
- Is Canis Major always on the poster?
- No, and that is deliberate. We draw the sky exactly as it really looked on the date, the time and the place you enter. If Canis Major was below the horizon at that moment, it will not be there — that would show a sky that never existed. The preview shows you straight away what is visible, so you can adjust the date until the image is right.
- Which size suits a constellation best?
- The larger the size, the more faint stars stay visible in print. For a constellation with many fine stars, 30×40 cm or larger works most comfortably; 21×30 cm is lovely when the poster hangs alongside other frames. Every size is printed at 300 DPI on 200 g/m² coated silk, unframed or framed.
Sizes and prices
Every size with its price — pick one and start designing.