V838 Monocerotis

V838 Monocerotis after growing in size.

V838 Monocerotis is a red giant star in the Monoceros constellation. It is famous for undergoing a sudden growth in size in the year 2002. When it happened, the star became 3,190 times bigger than the Sun. However, it shrunk in size - bringing its size to only 380 times bigger than the Sun. It is 20,000 times brighter than the Sun.

V838 Monocerotis Media

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  183213main image feature 877 ys full

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  The visual (blue points) and K band infrared (red points) light curves of the 2002 eruption of V838 Monocerotis, adapted from Starrfield et al., 2004

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  Light echo of V838 Mon as imaged April 30, 2002

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  Comparison between the size of V838 Monocerotis and the Inner Solar System.

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  Location of V838 Monocerotis within the Milky Way galaxy.

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  Images showing the expansion of the light echo. Credit: NASA/ESA.

• The evolution of the light echo around V838 Monocerotis.

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  Animation of 11 images of light echo of V838 Mon

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  Two pictures taken in November 2005 and September 2006 showing the changes that occurred to the bright echo of V838 Mon.

Sources

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