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List of largest stars

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Not to be confused with List of most massive stars.
Relative sizes of the planets in the Solar System and several well-known stars, including VY Canis Majoris.
  1. Mercury < Mars < Venus < Earth
  2. Earth < Neptune < Uranus < Saturn < Jupiter
  3. Jupiter < Wolf 359 < Sun < Sirius
  4. Sirius < Pollux < Arcturus < Aldebaran
  5. Aldebaran < Rigel < Antares < Betelgeuse
  6. Betelgeuse < Mu Cephei < VV Cephei A < VY Canis Majoris.

Below is a list of the largest known stars by radius. The unit of measurement used is the radius of the Sun (approximately 695,500 kilometers, or 432,450 miles).

The exact order of this list is not complete yet, nor is it perfectly defined:

  • There are sometimes high uncertainties in derived values and sizes;
  • The distances to most of these stars are uncertain to differing degrees and this uncertainty affects the size measurements;
  • Several large stars have extended atmospheres, are embedded in mostly opaque dust shells or disks, and pulsate, such that determining their radii is not well defined;
  • There are theoretical reasons for expecting that no stars in our galaxy are larger than approximately 1,500 times the sun, based on evolutionary models and the Hayashi instability zone. The exact limit depends on the metallicity of the star, so for example supergiants in the Magellanic Clouds have slightly different limiting temperature and luminosity. Stars exceeding the limit have been seen to undergo large eruptions and to change their spectral type over just a few months;
  • A survey of the Magellanic Clouds[1] has catalogued most of the red supergiants and 44 of them are larger than the 700 solar radii cutoff point of this table, with the largest at 1,200-1,300.

List

List of the largest stars
Star name Solar radii
(Sun = 1) 		Notes
NML Cygni 1,650[2]
V838 Monocerotis 1,570 ± 400 [3] The very large cool "L supergiant" reported with this radius was a transient object that shrunk about four-fold over a few years. 380 solar radii as of 2009.[4]
WOH G64 1,540[5] This would be the largest star in the LMC, but is unusual in position and motion and might still be a foreground halo giant.
VX Sagittarii 1,520[6] VX Sgr is a pulsating variable with a large visual range and varies significantly in size.
KW Sagittarii 1,460[7]
KY Cygni 1,420–2,850 [7] The upper estimate is due to an unusual K band measurement and thought to be an artifact of a reddening correction error. The lower estimate is consistent with other stars in the same survey and with theoretical models.
Westerlund 1-26 1,951–2,544 [8][9][10] Very uncertain parameters for an unusual star with strong radio emission. The spectrum is variable but apparently the luminosity is not.
VY Canis Majoris 1,420 Once thought to be a star so large that it contradicted stellar evolutionary theory, improved measurements have brought it down to size.[11][12]
RW Cephei 1,260–1,610 [citation needed] RW Cep is variable both in brightness (by at least a factor of 3) and spectral type (observed from G8 to M), thus probably also in diameter. Because the spectral type and temperature at maximum luminosity are not known, the quoted sizes are just estimates.
PZ Cassiopeiae 1,190-1,940[7] The upper estimate is due to an unusual K band measurement and thought to be an artifact of a reddening correction error. The lower estimate is consistent with other stars in the same survey and with theoretical models.
VV Cephei A 1,050–1,900 VV Cep A is a highly distorted star in a close binary system, losing mass to the secondary for at least part of its orbit.
Mu Cephei (Herschel's "Garnet Star") 650[13]-1,420[7]
BI Cygni 916[6]-1,240[7]
V354 Cephei 690[6]-1,520[7]
S Persei 780-1,230[7] In the Perseus Double Cluster
BC Cygni 1,140[7]
RT Carinae 1,090[7]
V396 Centauri 1,070[7]
CK Carinae 1,060[7]
V1749 Cygni 620-1,040[7]
RS Persei 1,000[7] In the Perseus Double Cluster
NR Vulpeculae 980[7]
RW Cygni 980[7]
V602 Carinae 860[7]
Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis) 1,000-3,000[14]
Antares (Alpha Scorpii) A 949
TZ Cassiopeiae 800[7]
IX Carinae 790[7]
SU Persei 780[7] In the Perseus Double Cluster
TV Geminorum 770[7]
V355 Cephei 300[6]-770[7]
V382 Carinae 700
The following well-known stars are listed for the purpose of comparison.
CE Tauri ("Ruby Star")[15] 608
S Pegasi 580[16]
W Hydrae 562[17]
T Cephei 540[18]
S Orionis 530[19]
R Cassiopeiae 500[20]
R Leporis 500
R Andromedae 485 ± 125
Chi Cygni 470[21]
Alpha Herculis (Ras Algethi) 460
R Hydrae 460
Rho Cassiopeiae 450
Mira A (Omicron Ceti) 400[22]
V509 Cassiopeiae 400[23]–900[24]
S Doradus 100–380[25]
U Orionis 370±96
R Doradus 370
HR Carinae 350
R Leonis 350[26]
V337 Carinae 350
The Pistol Star 340
S Coronae Borealis 340
V381 Cephei 327
Pi Puppis 290
Psi1 Aurigae 271
CW Leonis 250
Cygnus OB2-12 246
Omicron1 Canis Majoris 231
La Superba (Y Canum Venaticorum) 215
Delta Canis Majoris (Wezen) 215±66[27]
V810 Centauri 210
Zeta Aurigae (Haedus) 200[28]
Delta2 Lyrae 200
Lambda Velorum (Al Suhail) 200
RS Puppis 200
Eta Carinae (Tseen She) 85–195[29] Previously thought to be the most massive single star, but in 2005 it was realised to be a binary system
Epsilon Pegasi (Enif) 185
L Carinae 179
6 Cassiopeiae 170
Rho Persei (Gorgonea Tertia) 164
Epsilon Carinae (Avior) 153
Gamma Cygni (Sadir) 150
LBV 1806-20 150
Epsilon Geminorum (Mebsuta) 150
Epsilon Aurigae A (Almaaz) 135
Mu Boötis (Alkalurops) 130
66 Andromedae 130
QS Aquilae 130
NO Aurigae 130
56 Aquilae 130
L Puppis 126
Iota Scorpii (Apollyon) 125
Delta Apodis 125
HIP 110307 124.1
32 G. Hydrae 121.7
I Carinae 120
Xi Puppis (Asmidiske) 120
Mu Sagittarii (Polis) 115
Omicron Cygni 115
Deneb 114
V533 Carinae (VV Storm) 114
Gamma Crucis (Gacrux) 113[30]
Zeta Cephei 110
Gamma Aquilae (Tarazed) 110
34 Boötis 110
Beta Arae 110
Alpha Trianguli Australis (Atria) 109
Peony Nebula Star 100
Beta Pegasi (Scheat) 95
17 Camelopardalis 91.3
Beta Andromedae (Mirach) 90
R Scuti 87.4
WR 102ea 86
Nu Cephei 83.5
Gamma Andromedae (Almach) 83
Theta Herculis (Rukbalgethi Genubi) 80
Var 83 80
Rigel (Beta Orionis) 78
Alpha Leporis (Arneb) 77
P Cygni 76
Beta Doradus 76
DL Crucis 75-80
Pi Herculis 72
13 Boötis 71
R Leporis 70.4
Beta Cygni A1 (Albireo) 70
62 Sagittarii 70
Nu Aquilae (Equator Star) 66
R Coronae Borealis 65
Canopus (Alpha Carinae) 65
Delta Virginis (Auva) 65
Delta Sagittarii (Kaus Media) 62
Alpha Persei (Mirfak) 60
Zeta Geminorum (Mekbuda) 60
Eta Aquilae (Bezek) 60
89 Herculis 60
Upsilon Sagittarii 60
Alpha Aquarii (Sadalmelik) 60
CPD -572874 60
Chi Orionis 59
Alpha Persei (Mirfak) 56
Iota Aurigae (Al Kab) 55
FF Aquilae 55
Alpha Apodis 55
Tau Serpentis 54
Beta Cancri (Tarf) 53
Alpha Antliae 53
Zeta¹ Scorpii 52
Alphard (Alpha Hydrae) 50.5
Gamma Draconis (Eltanin) 50
Beta Aquarii (Sadalsuud) 50
HD 5980 A 48-160
Epsilon Boötis (Izar) 48
Zeta² Scorpii 48
AG Antliae 47
V428 Andromedae 46.3
HD 13189 46
HD 203857 46
Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri) 44.2[31]
Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris) 43.9
Alpha Cassiopeiae (Schedar) 42
Alpha Ceti (Menkar) 42
Delta Cephei (Alrediph) 41.6
Beta Ursae Minoris (Kochab) 41
Beta Draconis (Rastaban) 40
BD Camelopardalis 40
HD 5980 B 40
Eta Canis Majoris (Aludra) 37.8
87 Leonis 37
Gamma Centauri (Muhlifan) 36.5
S Normae 35.6
R136a1 35.4 Also on record as the most massive and luminous star known.
Sher 25 35
Gamma Leonis (Algieba) 31.9
Alpha Camelopardalis 31.2
Alpha Ursae Majoris (Dubhe) 30
11 Lacertae 30
Beta Camelopardalis 30
Cygnus OB2-8 28
Eta Leonis (Al Jabhah) 27
R Apodis 26.3
Epsilon Orionis (Alnilam) 26
Eta Piscium (Kullat Nunu) 26
Melnick 42 26
Arcturus (Alpha Boötis) 25.7
HD 93129A 25
11 Ursae Minoris 24.1
HD 47536 23.5
Epsilon Leonis (Algenubi) 23
42 Draconis 22 ± 1
Alpha Reticuli 21
Chi Virginis 20.9
19 Cephei 20–30
HDE226868 20-22 The supergiant companion of Cygnus X-1
Zeta Orionis (Alnitak) 20
Theta Scorpii (Sargas) 20
Beta Herculis (Kornephoros) 20
Theta Apodis 20
Alpha Sagittae (Alsahm) 20
HR 2422 Monocerotis (Plaskett's Star) 19.2
Kappa Cassiopeiae 19
Beta Scorpii (Acrab) 19
Beta Lyrae (Sheliak) 19
Zeta Puppis (Naos) 18.6
R 122 18.5
HD 93250 18
Alpha Microscopii 17.5
LH45-425 A 17.5
Upsilon Hydrae 17.1
Beta Ceti (Deneb Kaitos) 17
Epsilon Canis Majoris (Adhara) 17
LY Aurigae 16
Theta Centauri (Menkent) 16
Beta Corvi (Kraz) 16
Delta Orionis A (Mintaka) 15.8
Nu Ophiuchi (Sinistra) 15.25
Alpha Arietis (Hamal) 15
Gamma Cassiopeiae (Tsih) 14
Beta Ophiuchi (Celbalrai) 13.2
37 Aquilae 13
HD 240210 13
Alpha Aurigae A (Capella A) 12.2
Xi Aquilae 12
Gamma Arae 12
Gamma Sagittarii (Alnasl) 11
LH45-425 B 10
VV Cephei B 10

See also

References

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External links

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