Our sun is of medium size compared to other stars in the universe. There are many stars larger than the sun , located in other solar systems, along with other planets that orbit around them.
In this article we are going to tell you which are the stars bigger than the sun, their characteristics and discovery.
stars bigger than the sun
The sun is known as the most important star in our solar system, and it's so large that it could hold about 1.300.000 Earths. While this is obviously amazing, what's even more surprising is that our sun is actually a small star compared to other stars.
Contrary to popular belief, there are some stars in the universe that are much larger than the Sun and so massive that if they were located in our solar system, they would even extend beyond the orbit of Saturn. With this in mind, throughout this article we will discuss which stars are larger than the Sun so you can learn about them and explore their different types.
Our sun is about 1.400.000 kilometers in diameter; however, it is not the largest star in the universe, but other stars are much larger.
Aldebaran (61.000.000 km)
Aldebaran, a star in the constellation Taurus, is the thirteenth brightest star in the sky. Although it is about 60 times the size of our sun, this orange giant actually has less than twice the mass of our star. This may indicate that it went through several stages of its life cycle, forming carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, and is currently in the process of expansion, close to becoming a red giant, about 65 light-years from Earth.
Rigel (97 km)
If Aldebaran is larger than the Sun, then Rigel stands out for being even larger— a truly astonishing size. It's a blue supergiant star located about 860 light-years from Earth. Known as the brightest star in the constellation Orion, it's so massive that it would extend as far as Mercury if it were located in our solar system. It's so long-lived that it's generally believed it will die in a supernova explosion within a few million years.
Star Gun (425 km)
Taking another astonishing leap, we can find the Pistol Star, which is considered a blue supergiant star, and if it were in our solar system, it could even reach the orbit of Mars, meaning it would swallow the Earth completely.
The star emits the light of more than 10 million suns, making it one of the brightest stars in our galaxy. It is located almost 26.000 light-years from Earth, not far from the center of the Milky Way.
Antares A (946.000.000 km)
Antares A is twice the size of the Pistol Star and is described as a red supergiant about 550 light-years from Earth. One of its most surprising aspects, besides its size, is that it is believed to be on the verge of exploding, which could leave behind a neutron star (considered one of the densest objects in the universe).
Betelgeuse (1.300.000.000 km)
Betelgeuse is the true "monster" of our galaxy, it consists of a red supergiant star located 642 light-years away and the ninth brightest in the entire night sky.
It could even reach Jupiter's orbit, placing it right at the center of our solar system. Due to its large size and low surface temperature, it is generally believed that it will explode as a supernova within a few thousand years, leaving a "footprint" in the sky that is even larger than the size of the moon.
Mu Cephei (1.753.000.000 km)
Located 6.000 light-years away, Mu Cephei consists of a red supergiant star so large that it would easily reach the orbit of Saturn if it were located at the center of our solar system.
It belongs to the constellation of Cepheus and has a very intense red feature, which makes it recognizable through low-cost telescopes.
VY Canis Majoris (2.000.000.000 km)
Located about 3.840 light-years from Earth, the red supergiant star is so massive that placing it at the center of our solar system would exceed the orbit of Saturn.
UY Scuti (2.400.000.000 km)
Ultimately, UY Scuti stands out as the largest star known to date in our galaxy. Located 9.500 light-years away , it is so massive that attempting to orbit its surface uninterrupted with an airplane traveling at approximately 900 km/h would take about 3.000 years. Its size is so immense that atoms of various metals form in its core, and it is believed that it could die in a supernova explosion, giving rise to a black hole.
Stars larger than the Sun in the Universe
Pollux: 12.000.000 km
Pollux is a giant orange star in the constellation Gemini. Despite being number 10 on the list, it's almost ten times larger than our sun. It's also the seventeenth brightest star visible in the sky. At 33,7 light-years from Earth, it's the closest star on this list. Learn more about the colors of stars.
Arthur: 36.000.000 km
We continue our journey exploring Arcturus, also known as the Star of Arcturus. The third brightest star in the night sky is a red giant. After the previous star, it is the closest: "only" 36,7 light-years away . It is so massive that helium-carbon fusion is believed to take place in its core. The heavier the element, the more energy is required. Our sun is so small that it can only fuse the second element, helium.
As you can see, the universe is so vast that our solar system is dwarfed by it. I hope this information helps you learn more about the .
