Considering that planet Earth is just a tiny dot amidst the immensity of the universe known by man and which stars like the Sun are considered small, which then are the biggest stars in the universe? Let's look at those that, at least for now, are part of the Top 3:
1st - VY Canis Majoris: Also known as VY Cma, this hypergiant has a reddish glow, being 2100 times larger than the Sun in diameter. To get an idea of its magnitude, it would fit almost three billion planets equal to Earth. Its apparent location is in the constellation Canis Major. The VY Cma is dying and has been depositing its mass in a galaxy close to it.
2nd - WOH G64: is another red hypergiant and has a diameter corresponding to 2000 suns. Its apparent position is in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
3rd - V354 Cephei: This star is classified in the category of supergiant and also has a reddish appearance, being located in the Milky Way about 9,000 light-years away from Earth. Its diameter is 1,520 times that of the Sun.
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However, it must be considered that this magnitude is in terms of diameter, but not necessarily in mass or luminosity.
In terms of mass, the current record belongs to the star R136a1. Recently discovered by scientists, it has an extreme density and is located in the Tarantula Nebula. Its mass is 265 times that of the Sun and its diameter is 15 times larger. It lies 165,000 light-years away from Earth.
If we consider, however, the item luminosity - that is, the real brightness that the stars have, and not the apparent brightness -, the leadership is with the star LBV 1806-20, which is 38 million times brighter than the sun.
These classifications, however, may change in the coming years, as they are based only on the universe. known to man, which is a very small portion compared to the universe in its real size, which is in rapid and constant expansion.
By Rodolfo Alves Pena
Graduated in Geography
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PENA, Rodolfo F. Alves. "Biggest Stars in the Universe"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/maiores-estrelas-universo.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
