This is a list of the nearest supergiant stars to Earth, located at a distance of up to 1,100 light-years (340 parsecs) from Earth. Some of the brightest stars in the night sky, such as Rigel and Antares, are in the list.
While supergiants are typically defined as stars with luminosity classesIa, Iab or Ib, other definitions exist, such as those based on stellar evolution.[1] Therefore, stars with other luminosity classes can sometimes be considered supergiants.
↑Using Alpha Aquarii's measured angular diameter at 3.066±0.036milliarcseconds (mas),[52] together with its distance to Earth of 211.9 parsecs (or 691 light-years),[22] its physical size can be calculated. It is divided by 0.0046491 to convert to AU from 2 R☉, and the given value is divided by 2 to convert to the Sun's radius.
↑ 4.04.14.24.34.44.54.6Baines, Ellyn K.; Armstrong, J. Thomas; Schmitt, Henrique R.; Zavala, R. T.; Benson, James A.; Hutter, Donald J.; Tycner, Christopher; Belle, Gerard T. van (2017-12-21). "Fundamental Parameters of 87 Stars from the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer". The Astronomical Journal155 (1): 30. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aa9d8b. ISSN0004-6256. Bibcode: 2018AJ....155...30B.
↑ 5.05.15.2Johnson, H. L.; Mitchell, R. I.; Iriarte, B.; Wisniewski, W. Z. (1966-01-01). "UBVRIJKL Photometry of the Bright Stars". Communications of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory4: 99–110. Bibcode: 1966CoLPL...4...99J.
↑ 9.09.19.29.3Ducati, J. R. (2002-01-01). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Catalogue of Stellar Photometry in Johnson's 11-color system.". VizieR Online Data Catalog2237. Bibcode: 2002yCat.2237....0D.
↑ 10.010.110.210.3Moravveji, Ehsan; Guinan, Edward F.; Khosroshahi, Habib; Wasatonic, Rick (2013). "THE AGE AND MASS OF THE α HERCULIS TRIPLE-STAR SYSTEM FROM a MESA GRID OF ROTATING STARS WITH 1.3 ⩽ M / M☉⩽ 8.0". The Astronomical Journal146 (6): 148. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/146/6/148.
↑Charbonnel, C.; Lagarde, N.; Jasniewicz, G.; North, P. L.; Shetrone, M.; Krugler Hollek, J.; Smith, V. V.; Smiljanic, R. et al. (2020-01-01). "Lithium in red giant stars: Constraining non-standard mixing with large surveys in the Gaia era". Astronomy and Astrophysics633: A34. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201936360. ISSN0004-6361. Bibcode: 2020A&A...633A..34C.
↑ 15.015.115.2Neuhäuser, R; Torres, G; Mugrauer, M; Neuhäuser, D L; Chapman, J; Luge, D; Cosci, M (2022-07-29). "Colour evolution of Betelgeuse and Antares over two millennia, derived from historical records, as a new constraint on mass and age". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society516 (1): 693–719. doi:10.1093/mnras/stac1969. ISSN0035-8711.
↑ 16.016.116.216.316.4Joyce, Meridith; Leung, Shing-Chi; Molnár, László; Ireland, Michael J.; Kobayashi, Chiaki; Nomoto, Ken'ichi (2020-10-13). "Standing on the shoulders of giants: New mass and distance estimates for Betelgeuse through combined evolutionary, asteroseismic, and hydrodynamical simulations with MESA". The Astrophysical Journal902 (1): 63. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/abb8db. ISSN1538-4357. Bibcode: 2020ApJ...902...63J.
↑Mittag, M.; Schröder, K. -P.; Perdelwitz, V.; Jack, D.; Schmitt, J. H. M. M. (2023-01-01), "Chromospheric activity and photospheric variation of α Ori during the great dimming event in 2020", Astronomy and Astrophysics669: A9, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202244924, ISSN0004-6361, Bibcode: 2023A&A...669A...9M
↑Nicolet, B. (1978-10-01). "Catalogue of homogeneous data in the UBV photoelectric photometric system.". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series34: 1–49. ISSN0365-0138. Bibcode: 1978A&AS...34....1N.
↑Wielen, R. et al. (1999). "Sixth Catalogue of Fundamental Stars (FK6). Part I. Basic fundamental stars with direct solutions". Veröff. Astron. Rechen-Inst. Heidelb (Astronomisches Rechen-Institut Heidelberg) 35 (35): 1. Bibcode: 1999VeARI..35....1W.
↑ 22.022.122.222.322.422.522.622.7Bailer-Jones, C. A. L.; Rybizki, J.; Fouesneau, M.; Demleitner, M.; Andrae, R. (2021-03-01). "Estimating distances from parallaxes. V: Geometric and photogeometric distances to 1.47 billion stars in Gaia Early Data Release 3". The Astronomical Journal161 (3): 147. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/abd806. ISSN0004-6256. Bibcode: 2021AJ....161..147B. Data about this star can be seen here.
↑Kervella, Pierre; Arenou, Frédéric; Thévenin, Frédéric (2022-01-01). "Stellar and substellar companions from Gaia EDR3. Proper-motion anomaly and resolved common proper-motion pairs". Astronomy and Astrophysics657: A7. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202142146. ISSN0004-6361. Bibcode: 2022A&A...657A...7K.
↑ 24.024.1Jorissen, A.; Boffin, H. M. J.; Karinkuzhi, D.; Van Eck, S.; Escorza, A.; Shetye, S.; Van Winckel, H. (2019-06-01). "Barium and related stars, and their white-dwarf companions I. Giant stars". Astronomy & Astrophysics626: A127. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201834630. ISSN0004-6361. Bibcode: 2019A&A...626A.127J.
↑ 26.026.126.2Evans, Nancy Remage; Schaefer, Gail H.; Gallenne, Alexandre; Torres, Guillermo; Horch, Elliott P.; Anderson, Richard I.; Monnier, John D.; Roettenbacher, Rachael M. et al. (2024-08-01). "The Orbit and Dynamical Mass of Polaris: Observations with the CHARA Array". The Astrophysical Journal971 (2): 190. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad5e7a. ISSN0004-637X. Bibcode: 2024ApJ...971..190E.
↑Lee, Byeong-Cheol; Mkrtichian, David E.; Han, Inwoo; Park, Myeong-Gu; Kim, Kang-Min (2008-06-01). "Precise Radial Velocities of Polaris: Detection of Amplitude Growth". The Astronomical Journal135 (6): 2240–2244. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/135/6/2240. ISSN0004-6256. Bibcode: 2008AJ....135.2240L.
↑Evans, Nancy Remage; Schaefer, Gail H.; Bond, Howard E.; Bono, Giuseppe; Karovska, Margarita; Nelan, Edmund; Sasselov, Dimitar; Mason, Brian D. (2008-09-01). "Direct Detection of the Close Companion of Polaris with the Hubble Space Telescope". The Astronomical Journal136 (3): 1137–1146. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/136/3/1137. ISSN0004-6256. Bibcode: 2008AJ....136.1137E.
↑ 31.031.1Bang, Tae-Yang; Lee, Byeong-Cheol; Choi, Yeon-Ho; Han, Inwoo; Park, Myeong-Gu (May 2025), "Periodic Low-amplitude Radial Velocity Variations in the Supergiant α Persei" (in en), The Astrophysical Journal985 (2): 176, doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adcc13, ISSN0004-637X, Bibcode: 2025ApJ...985..176B
↑Wade, Gregg; Oksala, Mary; Neiner, Coralie; Boucher, Etienne; Barron, James (2025). Magnetic field monitoring of four massive A-F supergiants.
↑ 33.033.133.233.333.4Harper, Graham M.; Bennett, Philip D.; Brown, Alexander; Ayres, Thomas R.; Ohnaka, Keiichi; Griffin, Elizabeth (2022). "HST STIS Observations of ζ Aurigae A's Irradiated Atmosphere". The Astronomical Journal164 (1): 16. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ac6feb. Bibcode: 2022AJ....164...16H.
↑Ruban, E. V.; Alekseeva, G. A.; Arkharov, A. A.; Hagen-Thorn, E. I.; Galkin, V. D.; Nikanorova, I. N.; Novikov, V. V.; Pakhomov, V. P. et al. (2006-09-01). "Spectrophotometric observations of variable stars". Astronomy Letters32 (9): 604–607. doi:10.1134/S1063773706090052. ISSN1063-7737. Bibcode: 2006AstL...32..604R.
↑Carpenter, Kenneth G. (1998). "The Structure of the Outer Atmosphere and Wind of lambda Vel". Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars191: 206. Bibcode: 1998IAUS..191P.206C.
↑ 36.036.1Ohnaka, Keiichi; Hofmann, Karl-Heinz; Schertl, Dieter; Weigelt, Gerd; Baffa, Carlo; Chelli, Alain; Petrov, Romain; Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie (July 2013). "High spectral resolution imaging of the dynamical atmosphere of the red supergiant Antares in the CO first overtone lines with VLTI/AMBER". Astronomy & Astrophysics555: A24. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201321063. ISSN0004-6361. Bibcode: 2013A&A...555A..24O.
↑Mark J. Pecaut; Eric E. Mamajek; Eric J. Bubar (February 2012). "A Revised Age for Upper Scorpius and the Star Formation History among the F-type Members of the Scorpius-Centaurus OB Association". Astrophysical Journal746 (2): 154. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/2/154. Bibcode: 2012ApJ...746..154P.
↑Kiss, L. L.; Szabo, Gy M.; Bedding, T. R. (2006-11-11). "Variability in red supergiant stars: pulsations, long secondary periods and convection noise". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society372 (4): 1721–1734. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10973.x. ISSN0035-8711. Bibcode: 2006MNRAS.372.1721K.
↑Benedict, G. Fritz; McArthur, Barbara E.; Feast, Michael W.; Barnes, Thomas G.; Harrison, Thomas E.; Bean, Jacob L.; Menzies, John W.; Chaboyer, Brian et al. (2011-12-01). "Distance Scale Zero-Points from Galactic RR Lyrae Star Parallaxes". The Astronomical Journal142 (6): 187. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/142/6/187. ISSN0004-6256. Bibcode: 2011AJ....142..187B.
↑ 41.041.1Pilecki, Bogumił; Gieren, Wolfgang; Pietrzyński, Grzegorz; Thompson, Ian B.; Smolec, Radosław; Graczyk, Dariusz; Taormina, Mónica; Udalski, Andrzej et al. (July 2018). "The Araucaria Project: High-precision Cepheid Astrophysics from the Analysis of Variables in Double-lined Eclipsing Binaries" (in en). The Astrophysical Journal862 (1): 43. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aacb32. ISSN0004-637X.
↑Balog, Z.; Vinko, J.; Kaszas, G. (1997). "Baade-Wesselink Radius Determination of Type II Cepheids". Astronomical Journal113: 1833. doi:10.1086/118394. Bibcode: 1997AJ....113.1833B.
↑Feast, Michael W.; Laney, Cliford D.; Kinman, Thomas D.; van Leeuwen, Floor; Whitelock, Patricia A. (June 2008). "The Luminosities and Distance Scales of Type II Cepheid and RR Lyrae variables". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society386 (4): 2115–2134. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13181.x. ISSN0035-8711. Bibcode: 2008MNRAS.386.2115F.
↑ 46.046.1Haucke, M.; Cidale, L. S.; Venero, R. O. J.; Curé, M.; Kraus, M.; Kanaan, S.; Arcos, C. (2018). "Wind properties of variable B supergiants. Evidence of pulsations connected with mass-loss episodes". Astronomy and Astrophysics614. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201731678. Bibcode: 2018A&A...614A..91H.
↑Crawford, D. L.; Barnes, J. V.; Golson, J. C. (1971-12-01). "Four-color, H-beta and UBV photometry for bright B-type stars in the northern hemisphere.". The Astronomical Journal76: 1058–1071. doi:10.1086/111220. ISSN0004-6256. Bibcode: 1971AJ.....76.1058C.
↑ 52.052.152.2Baines, Ellyn K.; Clark, James H., III; Schmitt, Henrique R.; Stone, Jordan M.; von Braun, Kaspar (2023-12-01). "33 New Stellar Angular Diameters from the NPOI, and Nearly 180 NPOI Diameters as an Ensemble". The Astronomical Journal166 (6): 268. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ad08be. ISSN0004-6256. Bibcode: 2023AJ....166..268B.
↑Cousins, A. W. J. (1984-01-01). "Standardisation of broad band photometry of equatorial standards.". South African Astronomical Observatory Circular8: 59–67. Bibcode: 1984SAAOC...8...59C.
↑De Medeiros, J. R.; Alves, S.; Udry, S.; Andersen, J.; Nordström, B.; Mayor, M. (January 2014). "A catalog of rotational and radial velocities for evolved stars V. Southern stars". Astronomy & Astrophysics561: A126. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220762. ISSN0004-6361. Bibcode: 2014A&A...561A.126D.
↑ 58.058.1Wielen, R.; Schwan, H.; Dettbarn, C.; Lenhardt, H.; Jahreiß, H.; Jährling, R. (1999-01-01). "Sixth Catalogue of Fundamental Stars (FK6). Part I. Basic fundamental stars with direct solutions.". Veroeffentlichungen des Astronomischen Rechen-Instituts Heidelberg35: 1. Bibcode: 1999VeARI..35....1W.
↑Remie, H.; Lamers, H. J. G. L. M. (1982-01-01). "Effective temperatures, and radii of luminous O and B stars : a test for the accuracy of the model atmospheres.". Astronomy and Astrophysics105: 85–97. ISSN0004-6361. Bibcode: 1982A&A...105...85R.
↑Gray, R. O.; Garrison, R. F. (1989-07-01). "The Late A-Type Stars: Refined MK Classification, Confrontation with Stroemgren Photometry, and the Effects of Rotation". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series70: 623. doi:10.1086/191349. ISSN0067-0049. Bibcode: 1989ApJS...70..623G.
↑ 64.064.1Neiner, Coralie; Oksala, Mary E.; Georgy, Cyril; Przybilla, Norbert; Mathis, Stéphane; Wade, Gregg; Kondrak, Matthias; Fossati, Luca et al. (2017-10-01). "Discovery of magnetic A supergiants: the descendants of magnetic main-sequence B stars". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society471 (2): 1926–1935. doi:10.1093/mnras/stx1549. ISSN0035-8711. Bibcode: 2017MNRAS.471.1926N.
↑Houk, N. (1982-01-01). Michigan Catalogue of Two-dimensional Spectral Types for the HD stars. Volume_3. Declinations -40_ƒ0 to -26_ƒ0.. Bibcode: 1982mcts.book.....H.
↑Gutierrez-Moreno, A. (1966). "A system of photometric standards". Publications of the Department of Astronomy University of Chile1. Bibcode: 1966PDAUC...1....1G.
↑De Almeida, E S G.; Hugbart, M.; Domiciano De Souza, A.; Rivet, J-P; Vakili, F.; Siciak, A.; Labeyrie, G.; Garde, O. et al. (2022). "Combined spectroscopy and intensity interferometry to determine the distances of the blue supergiants P Cygni and Rigel". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society515 (1): 1–12. doi:10.1093/mnras/stac1617. Bibcode: 2022MNRAS.515....1D.
↑Shultz, M.; Wade, G. A.; Petit, V.; Grunhut, J.; Neiner, C.; Hanes, D.; Collaboration, the MiMeS (2014-02-21). "An Observational Evaluation of Magnetic Confinement in the Winds of BA Supergiants". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society438 (2): 1114–1126. doi:10.1093/mnras/stt2260. ISSN0035-8711. Bibcode: 2014MNRAS.438.1114S.
↑Moravveji, Ehsan; Guinan, Edward F.; Shultz, Matt; Williamson, Michael H.; Moya, Andres (2012). "Asteroseismology of the nearby SN-II Progenitor: Rigel. Part I. The MOST High-precision Photometry and Radial Velocity Monitoring". The Astrophysical Journal747 (1): 108–115. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/108. Bibcode: 2012ApJ...747..108M.
↑Guinan, Edward F.; Eaton, J. A.; Wasatonic, R.; Stewart, H.; Engle, S. G.; McCook, G. P. (2009-11-01). "Times-Series Photometry & Spectroscopy of the Bright Blue Supergiant Rigel: Probing the Atmosphere and Interior of a SN II Progenitor" (in en). Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union5 (H15): 359. doi:10.1017/S1743921310009798. ISSN1743-9221.
↑ 76.076.1Harper, G. M.; Griffin, R. E. M.; Bennett, P. D.; O'Riain, N. (2016-02-01). "Orbitally modulated photoexcited Si I emission in the eclipsing composite-spectrum binary ζ Aurigae". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society456 (2): 1346–1358. doi:10.1093/mnras/stv2668. ISSN0035-8711. Bibcode: 2016MNRAS.456.1346H.
↑ 80.080.180.2Rosas-Portilla, F.; Schröder, K.-P.; Jack, D. (2022-04-26). "On the physical nature of the Wilson-Bappu effect: revising the gravity and temperature dependence". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society513 (1): 906–924. doi:10.1093/mnras/stac929. ISSN0035-8711.
↑Benedict, G. Fritz; McArthur, B. E.; Fredrick, L. W.; Harrison, T. E.; Slesnick, C. L.; Rhee, J.; Patterson, R. J.; Skrutskie, M. F. et al. (September 2002). "Astrometry with Hubble Space Telescope: A Parallax of the Fundamental Distance Calibrator delta Cephei". The Astronomical Journal124 (3): 1695–1705. doi:10.1086/342014. Bibcode: 2002AJ....124.1695B.
↑Engle, Scott G.; Guinan, Edward F.; Harper, Graham M.; Neilson, Hilding R.; Evans, Nancy Remage (2014-09-25). "The Secret Lives of Cepheids: Evolutionary Changes and Pulsation-Induced Shock Heating in the Prototype Classical Cepheid {\delta} Cep". The Astrophysical Journal794 (1): 80. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/794/1/80. ISSN1538-4357.
↑ 91.091.191.2Baines, Ellyn K.; Armstrong, J. Thomas; Clark III, James H.; Gorney, Jim; Hutter, Donald J.; Jorgensen, Anders M.; Kyte, Casey; Mozurkewich, David et al. (2021-11-01). "Angular Diameters and Fundamental Parameters of Forty-Four Stars from the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer". The Astronomical Journal162 (5): 198. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ac2431. ISSN0004-6256. Bibcode: 2021AJ....162..198B.
↑Nardetto, N.; Hocdé, V.; Kervella, P.; Gallenne, A.; Gieren, W.; Graczyk, D.; Merand, A.; Rainer, M. et al. (2024-04-01). "The orbital parameters of the δ Cep inner binary system determined using 2019 HARPS-N spectroscopic data". Astronomy and Astrophysics684: L9. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202449600. ISSN0004-6361. Bibcode: 2024A&A...684L...9N.
↑Machado, L. N.; Abe, K.; Hayato, Y.; Hiraide, K.; Ieki, K.; Ikeda, M.; Kameda, J.; Kanemura, Y. et al. (2022-08-01). "Pre-supernova Alert System for Super-Kamiokande". The Astrophysical Journal935 (1): 40. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ac7f9c. ISSN0004-637X. Bibcode: 2022ApJ...935...40M.
↑Levesque, Emily M.; Massey, Philip; Olsen, K. A. G.; Plez, Bertrand; Josselin, Eric; Maeder, Andre; Meynet, Georges (August 2005). "The Effective Temperature Scale of Galactic Red Supergiants: Cool, But Not As Cool As We Thought". The Astrophysical Journal628 (2): 973–985. doi:10.1086/430901. ISSN0004-637X. Bibcode: 2005ApJ...628..973L.
↑De Medeiros, J. R.; Udry, S.; Burki, G.; Mayor, M. (2002). "A catalog of rotational and radial velocities for evolved stars. II. Ib supergiant stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics395: 97–98. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20021214. Bibcode: 2002A&A...395...97D.
↑McArthur, Barbara E.; Benedict, G. Fritz; Harrison, Thomas E.; van Altena, William (2011-05-01). "Astrometry with the Hubble Space Telescope: Trigonometric Parallaxes of Selected Hyads". The Astronomical Journal141 (5): 172. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/141/5/172. ISSN0004-6256. Bibcode: 2011AJ....141..172M.
↑Turner, David G. (April 2010), "The PL calibration for Milky Way Cepheids and its implications for the distance scale", Astrophysics and Space Science326 (2): 219–231, doi:10.1007/s10509-009-0258-5, Bibcode: 2010Ap&SS.326..219T
↑Sota, A.; Apellániz, J. Maíz; Walborn, N. R.; Alfaro, E. J.; Barbá, R. H.; Morrell, N. I.; Gamen, R. C.; Arias, J. I. (2011-04-01). "The Galactic O-Star Spectroscopic Survey. I. Classification System and Bright Northern Stars in the Blue-Violet at R~2500". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series193 (2): 24. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/193/2/24. ISSN0067-0049. Bibcode: 2011ApJS..193...24S.