The Biggest Star in the Sky
This is an IR Observation of R Doradus, a variable star in the constellation of Dorado (the Swordfish), located in the far southern sky. R Doradus is a variable star with a period of about 338 days, changing its magnitude from approximately 4.8 at maximum (when it is visible with the unaided eye) to 6.6 at minimum (when it requires a small telescope). R Doradus is approximately 200 light-years away.
The measured size implies that it has a physical diameter of 370 +- 50 times that of the Sun, or well over 250 million km! If R Doradus would be placed at the centre of the Solar System, its surface would be outside of the orbit of Mars. Although even bigger stars are known òÀÔ Betelgeuse for one òÀÔ none appears as large in the sky because they are all at greater distances. The very large apparent size of R Doradus is due to the combination of its relative proximity and large physical size.
Credit:ESO
About the Image
Id: | eso9706a |
Type: | Observation |
Release date: | 11 March 1997 |
Related releases: | eso9706 |
Size: | 1151 x 605 px |
About the Object
Name: | Gamma Reticulli, R Doradus |
Type: | • Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Red Giant • Milky Way : Star : Type : Variable |
Category: | • Stars |
Wallpapers
Colours & filters
Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
---|---|---|
Infrared Near-IR | 1.25 μm | New Technology Telescope |
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