January Birth Stars
January nights are the clearest of the year, and every one of its 31 days has its own birth star. The best known: Procyon, Pollux, Castor, and Adhara. Procyon — one corner of the Winter Triangle — is the birth star for January 12.
Our birth stars are an independently compiled system: from the stars named by the International Astronomical Union, our editors chose the one that culminates around midnight on each date. Other sources may assign different stars, but this page follows our own mapping throughout.
Look up the star for the day you were born — and borrow its star words for a birthday message.
What is the birth star of January?
January's birth stars include Procyon, Pollux, Castor, and Adhara. In our calendar, each of the 31 days of January has its own star.
January birth stars (31 days)
All 31 days of January, with birth stars, star words, constellations, and magnitudes. Star words are examples. Culmination times and more detail are on each day's page.
| Date | Birth star | Star words (example) | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1 |  Alzirr | bud, sprout | Geminiξ Gem |
| 1/2 |  Adhara | innocence, clarity | Canis Majorε CMa |
| 1/3 | Nganurganity | land spirit, ancestral song | Canis Majorσ CMa |
| 1/4 | Muliphein | pack glow, resonance | Canis Majorγ CMa |
| 1/5 | Wezen | magnitude, gravity | Canis Majorδ CMa |
| 1/6 | Mekbuda | pulsing paw, repose and motion | Geminiζ Gem |
| 1/7 | Wasat | midpoint, gateway | Geminiδ Gem |
| 1/8 | Aludra | limpidity, distance | Canis Majorη CMa |
| 1/9 |  Gomeisa | tear-bright, fidelity | Canis Minorβ CMi |
| 1/10 | Aludra | limpidity, distance | Canis Majorη CMa |
| 1/11 | Castor | twinhood, friendship | Geminiα Gem |
| 1/12 | Procyon | foresight, herald | Canis Minorα CMi |
| 1/13 | Pollux | brotherhood, fortitude | Geminiβ Gem |
| 1/14 |  Azmidi | stern light, homecoming | Puppisξ Pup |
| 1/15 | Pollux | brotherhood, fortitude | Geminiβ Gem |
| 1/16 | Azmidi | stern light, homecoming | Puppisξ Pup |
| 1/17 | Naos | swiftness, odyssey | Puppisζ Pup |
| 1/18 | Tureis | buckler, shelter | Puppisρ Pup |
| 1/19 | Naos | swiftness, odyssey | Puppisζ Pup |
| 1/20 | Tureis | buckler, shelter | Puppisρ Pup |
| 1/21 |  Tarf | still glow, observance | Cancerβ Cnc |
| 1/22 |  Avior | voyage, embarkation | Carinaε Car |
| 1/23 |  Alsciaukat | lynx eye, piercing sight | Lynx31 Lyn |
| 1/24 |  Muscida | muzzle, curiosity | Ursa Majorο UMa |
| 1/25 | Alsciaukat | lynx eye, piercing sight | Lynx31 Lyn |
| 1/26 |  Minchir | seeking nose, probing | Hydraσ Hya |
| 1/27 | Asellus Australis | southern ass, burden-bearing | Cancerδ Cnc |
| 1/28 |  Alsephina | sailing, tailwind | Velaδ Vel |
| 1/29 | Ashlesha | entwining, clasp | Hydraε Hya |
| 1/30 | Alsephina | sailing, tailwind | Velaδ Vel |
| 1/31 | Acubens | sheltering pincer, holding fast | Cancerα Cnc |
The January night sky
After nightfall in January, Gemini, Canis Minor, and Canis Major take over the sky. Procyon (the 12th) shines at magnitude 0.4 and forms the Winter Triangle with Betelgeuse in Orion and Sirius in Canis Major. Castor (the 11th) and Pollux (the 13th) are the famous twin stars of Gemini.
Adhara (the 2nd) and Wezen (the 5th) are bright lights of Canis Major, the Great Dog. Dry winter air makes January the best month of the year for naked-eye stargazing — bundle up and face south.
How to enjoy January birth stars
- Choose by star words: add a fitting word for new beginnings to a birthday card.
- Find it at culmination: on your birthday at midnight, your star rides highest in the southern sky.
- Pair it with the birthday color: combine the day's color and star words for a cohesive gift.
- For gifts and cards: write the star's name and magnitude for the astronomy lover in your life.
FAQ
- What is the birth star for January?
- January's birth stars include Procyon, Pollux, Castor, and Adhara. Every day of January has its own star in our calendar.
- Is Procyon the birth star for January?
- Procyon is one of January's signature stars — it's the birth star for January 12. But birth stars change day by day, so the star depends on the exact date.
- What's the difference between a birth star and a constellation?
- A constellation is a region of the sky; a birth star is a single star within it. We define each day's birth star as the star that culminates around midnight on that date.
- Why does the birth star change every day?
- As Earth orbits the Sun, the star that crosses the meridian at midnight shifts a little westward each night.
- How do you choose the birth stars?
- Our editors independently select, from the IAU-named stars, the one culminating around midnight on each date. It is not an official standard.
Our birth stars are an original editorial system compiled from IAU-named stars (rule: the star that culminates around local midnight on each date). Star words are examples; there is no official standard. Star name data: IAU Working Group on Star Names (CC BY 4.0).Editorial policy