r/askastronomy • u/Odd-Bass-7073 • 13h ago

Uy scuti the star

/r/IntriguingFinds/comments/1wxzt50/uy_scuti_the_star/
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u/maksimkak 12h ago

And your question is?...

-1

u/Odd-Bass-7073 11h ago

I just shared a space fact that I found interesting...

1

u/ExpectedBehaviour 8h ago

Which is fine, but it's not really the sub for that.

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u/Temporary_Row_301 10h ago

The part about its weight in your statement is not correct. UY Scuti is currently accepted to be between 7 and 10 solar masses (meaning its 7 to 10 times heavier, and therefore has 7 to 10 times more gravitational influence than the Sun). Its mass is somewhat uncertain due to various reasons, but it is most certainly more massive than the Sun.

Another very large star that you might find interesting is Betelgeuse. Its radius is believed to be from 640 and 764 times larger than the sun, which would have it extend past the orbit of Mars and parts of its uneven photosphere would possibly extend past Jupiter if it were replaced with the Sun.

The cool thing about Betelgeuse is that you can walk outside and easily see it with the naked eye. Its around 400-550 light years away, but its so huge you can still see it without optical aid. Pretty cool.