WOH G64

Magellanic Cloud
WOH G64

WOH G64 is a red supergiant star. It could be the largest known star in the known universe,[1] with a radius over 1,500 times that of the Sun.[2]

It is also one of the coolest stars in the LMC, 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 has three to nine times the Sun's mass of expelled material. 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.

References

  1. https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2Fstx1101
  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.