2006-08-27 20:12:25 · 12 answers · asked by tom science 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The largest known star (in terms of mass and brightness) is called the Pistol Star. It is believed to be 100 times as massive as our Sun, and 10,000,000 times as bright! In 1990, a star named the Pistol Star was known to lie at the center of the Pistol Nebula in the Milky Way Galaxy. In 1995, it was suggested that the Pistol Star was so massive it was throwing off the mass that actually created the Pistol Nebula. Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope in 1997 confirmed the relationship between the star and the nebula.
2006-08-27 20:16:06 · answer #1 · answered by sunshine25 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The term "largest" is ambiguous because it could mean diameter, mass,
output of visible radiation, or output of total radiation, and so on. The
largest star I could find is called the Pistol Star because that is the
constellation where it is located in the constellation "Pistol". NASA
reports it is ten million (10^7) times brighter than the Sun, and a mass of
approximately 100 times of the Sun.
You can track this down further, and learn a lot of other interesting
astronomy, by searching the NASA home page and the HUBBLE TELESCOPE home
page and follow the links you find there.
2006-08-28 04:33:23 · answer #2 · answered by smart 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mu Cephi is the largest star so far measured in the Milky Way. It exists in the galactic cloud IC1396, seen as the orange disc (also called Herschel's Garnet star). Located about 1800 light years from Earth, it is almost 2500 times the diameter of the Sun. It is bright enough to see with the unaided eye.
2006-08-28 03:26:46 · answer #3 · answered by Lutfor 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Eta Carinae 150 Solar Masses!
2006-08-28 03:19:50 · answer #4 · answered by zamir 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the Pistol star is no longer the 'biggest' star known.
ASTRONOMERS: STAR MAY BE BIGGEST, BRIGHTEST YET OBSERVED
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- A University of Florida-led team of astronomers may have discovered the brightest star yet observed in the universe, a fiery behemoth that could be as much as much as seven times brighter than the current record holder.
Whereas the Pistol Star is between 5 million and 6 million times as bright as the sun, however, the new contender, LBV 1806-20, could be as much as 40 million times the sun's brightness.
Quoted from:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~carlkop/lbv1806.html
2006-08-28 08:16:34 · answer #5 · answered by Jay T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not sure but more than likely it has got to be a red supergiant. I think Betelguese in the Orion constellation.
2006-08-28 03:17:59 · answer #6 · answered by afrprince77 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It must be a red giant and I think it´s Antares or Betelgeuse
2006-08-28 03:15:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the solar one, the big red one in the sky, or the sun.
2006-08-28 03:19:33 · answer #8 · answered by gerlooser 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the sun if thats what your asking
2006-08-28 03:18:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
paris hilton...u said man
2006-08-28 03:17:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋