From our little corner of the world, our Sun seems so massive, warming the Earth with its magnificent rays and keeping all the planets in our solar system in check. However, you may be surprised to know that our Sun is relatively small compared to the other stars in the galaxy. In fact, one could actually say that it is quite puny in size. And even though it will one day grow into a Red Giant, it will never begin to approach the massiveness of a Blue Supergiant.
To give you an idea of the enormity of these giant stars, let us examine some.
Eta Carinae, a two-star system, is the biggest star within 10,000 light years from Earth. Being 90 times the mass of our sun, Eta Carinae shines five million times brighter.
On the other hand, Betelgeuse, a star that is 640 light years from Earth, is the eighth brightest star in the sky. On a cloudless night, look for the constellation of Orion and you can easily spot it!
In comparison, a Blue Supergiant Star can be said to be the hottest one. Rigel, which is also located in the constellation Orion, emits about 60,000 times more energy than our Sun.
Science is an integral part of some of the college entrance tests so if you want to know more about the cosmos and all the other heavenly bodies, then sign up for AHEAD Tutorial and Review’s summer college entrance test review program. Our educational programs along with our expert tutors can make these seemingly distant concepts come alive with their student-friendly teaching techniques. For more information, email info@ahead.edu.ph.
Information via the Business Insider.