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

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the observation of UY Scuti, described as the largest known star, using a telescope at Rutherfurd Observatory. Participants share their experiences and knowledge about UY Scuti, including its size, characteristics, and composition.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their experience of locating UY Scuti using a telescope and provides a visual reference.
  • Another participant expresses excitement and requests further updates and images from the observer.
  • Concerns are raised about the claim that UY Scuti is the largest star in the universe, highlighting the uncertainty regarding our knowledge of the Milky Way and other galaxies.
  • A clarification is made that UY Scuti is the largest star discovered to date, with a median radius of 1,708 solar radii, or approximately 7.94 AU.
  • It is noted that UY Scuti is a variable star, with a magnitude range from 11.2 to 13.2.
  • Participants mention that the majority of UY Scuti's volume is composed of gas that is less dense than Earth's atmosphere.
  • Additional information is provided about the gas composition of UY Scuti, including molecular layers of H2O and CO, with a reference to a scientific article.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the claim of UY Scuti being the largest star in the universe, with some agreeing it is the largest discovered so far, while others emphasize the uncertainty in such claims.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations regarding the knowledge of the Milky Way and other galaxies, which affect the certainty of claims about UY Scuti's size relative to other stars.

Haktarfone
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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?
 
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Haktarfone said:
What do you think?

That is awesome Haktarfone! Please keep us updated with more images :)
 
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.
 
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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Yeah; cool; its also a variable star ...mag. 11.2 to 13.2.
 
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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