TOP 5 · Which stars are the largest in the universe?
“I know that the brightest stars I can see in the sky are close to Earth, buf if all the stars that astronomers know are included, which are then the biggest stars of all?” 1 Stephenson 2-18
2150 times bigger than the Sun. The record holder so far identified is located 20,000 light years from Earth, and if Stephenson 2-18 were located where the Sun is, it would reach beyond Saturn’s orbit. The red supergiant is something of a mystery to astronomers, because its size contradicts current theories of star development, according to which the limit should be around 1500 times the Sun’s radius.
UY SCUTI 1708 TIMES BIGGER THAN THE SUN 2
The red supergiant UY Scuti is 9500 light years from Earth. It is a variable star, meaning that its brightness varies rhythmically. The same is true for its size, so it is hence difficult to define entirely precisely.
V354 CEPHEI 1520 TIMES BIGGER THAN THE SUN 3
The star is an irregular variable red supergiant. Irregular means that its radiation varies, but without a steady rhythm. Like other giant stars, it is cold – the surface temperature is ‘only’ around 3225 degrees.
VY CANIS MAJORIS 1420 TIMES BIGGER THAN THE SUN 4
One of the brightest stars that astronomers know is located in the constellation Canis Major. The star was discovered in 1801, since when its brightness seems to have reduced.
KY CYGNI 1420 TIMES BIGGER THAN THE SUN 5
KY Cygni is 5000 light years from Earth, located in the constellation of Cygnus. Due to its size and radiation, the red supergiant should be visible to the naked eye, but dust or gas absorbs the star’s light en route, so we cannot see it.