Sharpest Image Ever of R136a1, Largest Known Star
Nestled in the center of the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud is the largest star yet discovered. With the help of the Zorro imager and the power of the 8.1-meter Gemini South telescope in Chile, astronomers have produced the sharpest image ever of this star. This new image challenges our understanding of the most massive stars and suggests that they may not be as massive as previously thought.
Credit:
International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
Acknowledgment: Image processing: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF’s NOIRLab), M. Zamani (NSF’s NOIRLab) & D. de Martin (NSF’s NOIRLab)
About the Image
| Id: | noirlab2220a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | Aug. 18, 2022, 1 p.m. |
| Related releases: | noirlab2220 |
| Size: | 1024 x 1024 px |
About the Object
Wallpapers
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 5 38 42.38 |
| Position (Dec): | -69° 6' 2.72" |
| Field of view: | 0.04 x 0.04 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 90.8° right of vertical |
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colors & filters
| Band | Wave-length | Tele-scope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical b | 466 nm | Gemini South Zorro |
| Optical r | 562 nm | Gemini South Zorro |
| Optical i | 716 nm | Gemini South Zorro |
| Optical z | 832 nm | Gemini South Zorro |