Canis Major
Canis Major is a prominent constellation because of its many bright stars. These include Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris), the brightest star in the night sky, as well as three other stars above magnitude 2.0. Furthermore, two other stars are thought to have previously outshone all others in the night sky—Adhara (Epsilon Canis Majoris) shone at -3.99 around 4.7 million years ago, and Mirzam (Beta Canis Majoris) peaked at −3.65 around 4.42 million years ago. Another, NR Canis Majoris, will be brightest at magnitude −0.88 in about 2.87 million years' time.
List of stars more luminous than any closer star
This is a list of stars which are more luminous than any closer star, that is, stars which emit more radiation than any other star within the same distance of the Sun. The luminosities are measured in bolometric luminosity and not by visual luminosity. For example, Alpha Centauri A is the most luminous star within 5 light-years of the Sun. In order to find a star more luminous than α Cen, the radius would have to be extended out to 9 light years, to include Sirius. The closest star more luminous than Sirius is Vega, at 25 light years, and so on.