What Is Stephenson 2-18? 7 Things To Know About This Super-Giant Star

2023-12-26 02:00:30

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Stephenson 2-18, a colossal red supergiant, captivates astronomers with its immense size, residing over 18,000 light-years away in the Scutum constellation. Discovered in 1987, this luminous giant, exceeding 200,000 times the Sun's brightness, offers a celestial spectacle

Stephenson 2-18, an immense red supergiant discovered in 1987, beckons from 18,000 light-years away, promising insights into stellar dynamics and a future supernova

Stephenson 2-18 is a red supergiant star located in the constellation Scutum. It is considered one of the largest stars known

The star is also extremely luminous, with a high intrinsic brightness. Its luminosity is believed to be over 200,000 times that of the Sun

Stephenson 2-18 is located at a considerable distance from Earth. It is generally considered to be around 18,000 light-years away

The star was discovered by American astronomer Albert F. J. Moffat in 1987

Stephenson 2-18 is in advanced stage of its evolution. It is a red supergiant, which means it has exhausted the hydrogen fuel in its core and has expanded to a large size

Given its advanced evolutionary stage, Stephenson 2-18 is expected to undergo a supernova explosion at some point in the future. When this will happen is uncertain

Studying massive stars like Stephenson 2-18 provides valuable insights into the life cycle of stars and the processes that govern their evolution

MENAFN26122023007385015968ID1107658813

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.