UY Scuti, the biggest known star, viewed through a telescope

In summary, the project manager was appointed to use the primary telescope at Rutherfurd Observatory and was able to locate UY Scuti. UY Scuti is the biggest known star in the universe and if it were to be replaced with the Sun in our solar system, it would extend beyond the boundary of Saturn.
  • #1
Haktarfone
3
1
I have been appointed the project manager at Rutherfurd Observatory, and was thus granted access to use the primary telescope. I spent 2 days trying to locate UY Scuti and finally, I've did it!

For those who don't know what UY Scuti, it's the biggest known star in the universe. If it were to be replaced with the Sun in our solar system, it'd extend beyond the boundary of Saturn.

Here's a cheeky peek at our big-boy UY Scuti (the brightest star in the middle):

UY_Scuti_zoomed_in%2C_Rutherford_Observatory%2C_07_September_2014.jpe


What do you think?
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
Haktarfone said:
What do you think?

That is awesome Haktarfone! Please keep us updated with more images :)
 
  • #3
Haktarfone said:
For those who don't know what UY Scuti, it's the biggest known star in the universe. If it were to be replaced with the Sun in our solar system, it'd extend beyond the boundary of Saturn.
emphasis added.

That's a pretty bold claim, since we know next to nothing about our own Milky Way galaxy, let alone the millions of other galaxies which are visible.
 
  • #4
SteamKing said:
emphasis added.

That's a pretty bold claim, since we know next to nothing about our own Milky Way galaxy, let alone the millions of other galaxies which are visible.

I am NOT saying that UY Scuti is the largest star in the entire universe, I am saying that UY Scuti is the largest star discovered yet. It has a median radius of 1,708 solar radii, or approximately 7.94 AU.
 
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  • #5
Yeah; cool; its also a variable star ...mag. 11.2 to 13.2.
 
  • #6
Fun fact: The majority of the star's volume is composed of a gas that is less dense than most of the Earth's atmosphere.
 
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1. What is UY Scuti?

UY Scuti is currently the biggest known star in the universe. It is a red supergiant located in the constellation Scutum, approximately 9,500 light years away from Earth.

2. How big is UY Scuti compared to our sun?

UY Scuti is estimated to be around 1,700 times larger than our sun in terms of radius. This makes it one of the largest stars ever discovered.

3. How do we know about UY Scuti's size?

We can determine the size of stars by measuring their luminosity and temperature. In the case of UY Scuti, scientists have observed it through telescopes and analyzed its light and spectra to calculate its size.

4. Can we see UY Scuti with the naked eye?

No, UY Scuti is too far away and its luminosity is not strong enough to be visible to the naked eye. It can only be seen through powerful telescopes.

5. Is UY Scuti the biggest star in the universe?

Currently, UY Scuti is considered the biggest known star. However, there may be even larger stars in the universe that have not been discovered yet. As our technology and understanding of the universe improves, we may discover even more massive stars in the future.

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