The brightest star in the Milky Way, as observed from Earth, is Sirius. Sirius is located in the constellation Canis Major and is often referred to as the "Dog Star." It is a binary star system consisting of Sirius A and Sirius B. Sirius A, the larger and brighter component, is the brightest star in the night sky. It appears bright due to its relative proximity to Earth, with an apparent magnitude of -1.46.