Sharpest Image Ever of R136a1, Largest Known Star (Annotated)

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:noirlab2220b
Type:Collage
Release date:Aug. 18, 2022, 1 p.m.
Related releases:noirlab2220
Size:1024 x 1024 px

About the Object

Category:Stars

Image Formats

Large JPEGLarge JPEG
77.9 KB
Screensize JPEGScreensize JPEG
59.7 KB

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Wallpapers

1024x7681024x768
66.6 KB
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Colors & filters

BandTele-scope
Gemini South
Zorro