WOH G64

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Large Magellanic Cloud
Artist's impression of WOH G64

WOH G64 is a red supergiant star. It could be the largest known star in the known universe,[1] with a radius of about 1,540 times that of the Sun.[2]

It is also one of the coolest stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud, with an effective temperature of 3,400 Kelvin. It is a possible Mira variable.

WOH G64 is surrounded by a thick dust envelope of about a light year in diameter. This envelope is made of expelled material and is three to nine times the Sun's mass. It was created by the strong stellar wind.[3] If placed at the center of the Solar System, the star's photosphere would engulf the orbit of Jupiter.

WOH G64 Media

References

  1. Jones, O. C.; Woods, P. M.; Kemper, F.; Kraemer, K. E.; Sloan, G. C.; Srinivasan, S.; Oliveira, J. M.; Van Loon, J. Th.; Boyer, M. L.; Sargent, B. A.; McDonald, I.; Meixner, M.; Zijlstra, A. A.; Ruffle, P. M. E.; Lagadec, E.; Pauly, T.; Sewiło, M.; Clayton, G. C.; Volk, K. (2017). "The SAGE-Spec Spitzer Legacy program: The life-cycle of dust and gas in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Point source classification – III". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 470 (3): 3250–3282. doi:10.1093/mnras/stx1101.
  2. Levesque, Emily M.; Massey, Philip; Plez, Bertrand; Olsen, Knut A. G. (2009-06-01). "The physical properties of the red supergiant WOH G64: the largest star known?". The Astronomical Journal. 137 (6): 4744–4752. arXiv:0903.2260. Bibcode:2009AJ....137.4744L. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/137/6/4744. ISSN 0004-6256. S2CID 18074349.
  3. Ohnaka, K.; Driebe, T.; Hofmann, K.H.; Weigelt, G.; Wittkowski, M. (2009). "Resolving the dusty torus and the mystery surrounding LMC red supergiant WOH G64". Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. 4: 454–458. Bibcode:2009IAUS..256..454O. doi:10.1017/S1743921308028858.