Our universe is filled with stars of all shapes and sizes. Among these twinkling giants, one star stands out as the biggest of them all: Stephenson 2-18. Let’s dive into the amazing features of this enormous star and why it’s so special in the universe.
Stephenson 2-18, also called RSGC2-18, is a red supergiant star. It’s located in a group of stars known as the constellation Scutum. An American astronomer named Charles Bruce Stephenson discovered it in 1990. This star is now known to be even bigger than UY Scuti, which used to hold the record for the largest star.
Stephenson 2-18 is incredibly huge! Imagine a star with a radius about 2,150 times bigger than our Sun. If it were placed in our solar system, its outer layer, called the photosphere, would stretch beyond the orbit of Saturn. That’s really far! Its volume is about 10 billion times greater than the Sun’s, making it a fascinating object for scientists to study.
This gigantic star is located around 20,000 light-years away from Earth. It shines super brightly, with a luminosity 440,000 times greater than our Sun. That’s why it’s one of the brightest stars you can see in the night sky. The star’s temperature is about 3,200 Kelvin, which is quite hot!
Stephenson 2-18 is a true wonder of the universe, showing us just how diverse and amazing stars can be. As the new largest star by size, it encourages both beginner and expert astronomers to look up at the night sky and marvel at its greatness. Isn’t it exciting to learn about such incredible things in our universe?
Star Size Comparison: Let’s explore how big Stephenson 2-18 really is compared to our Sun. Use a large ball, like a beach ball, to represent Stephenson 2-18 and a small ball, like a marble, to represent the Sun. Try to find other objects around your home or classroom that can represent the size difference between these two stars. How many marbles do you think it would take to fill the beach ball? Discuss with your friends or family how this helps you understand the size difference.
Create Your Own Constellation: Stephenson 2-18 is part of the constellation Scutum. Look up at the night sky with an adult and try to spot different constellations. Then, using star stickers or glow-in-the-dark stars, create your own constellation on a piece of black paper. Give your constellation a name and write a short story about it. How does your constellation compare to Scutum?
Light-Year Leap: Stephenson 2-18 is 20,000 light-years away from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year. To understand this, imagine if you could travel as fast as light. How long would it take you to reach Stephenson 2-18? Try to calculate how many years it would take if you traveled at the speed of a car (about 60 miles per hour). Discuss with your classmates how this helps you understand the vast distances in space.
