Let this thread be a resource for all astronomy-related sites and studies. WIKISKY The Largest Known Star Subject to change of course.
Cool, an honourable mention should go to: The Pistol star that is believed to be 100 times as massive as our Sun, and 10 million times as bright. The largest shell is so big (4 light-years) it would stretch nearly all the way from our Sun to the next nearest star http://www.livescience.com/mysteries/071022-llm-largest-star.html The Pistol star appears to be a member of the Quintuplet cluster AFGL 2004. It is about 25,000 light years from Earth, and at a projected distance of about 100 light years from the centre of the Galaxy. Pistol star.kmz (after download, add .kmz file extension) And LBV 1806-20 that is a hypergiant or possible binary star located 30,00049,000 light-years from the Sun, towards the centre of the galaxy. It has a total system mass of 130150 Solar masses and an estimated variable luminosity of up to 38 million times that of the Sun. LBV 1806-20.kmz (add .kmz file extension)
the relative star sizes are amazing, thou does this star actually still exist? Since it is many million light years away we might be seeing what it looked like before and now it could have collapse into itself. Anyways Rigel star caught my eye with its cyan beauty Rigel Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! and VY Canis Majoris (the largest star [NGC 2362]) seems to have a dust orbit around it, is that so?
