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Whats the biggest star


Nova
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...fine.

To be more precise about the Betelgeuse, it will not end life on earth. Most likely it will turn into a supernova and leave a neutron star in its wake. It will shine brighter than the moon for weeks, after which it will fade out slowly. But since it's poles aren't pointing towards earth, it's jets will not hit us.

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4 minutes ago, Recel said:

...fine.

To be more precise about the Betelgeuse, it will not end life on earth. Most likely it will turn into a supernova and leave a neutron star in its wake. It will shine brighter than the moon for weeks, after which it will fade out slowly. But since it's poles aren't pointing towards earth, it's jets will not hit us.

Neutrons stars can be so dense that they have the lensing effect.Some even have a event horizen.  

Edited by Nova
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Who needs Google, when you can use WolframAlpha! http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=Stars+nearest+to+the+Sun

 

EDIT:

I don't know how I misread the question as "What is the star closest to the sun". I really don't. Anyways, here's the WolframAlpha search for largest star by diameter: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=Largest+star+by+diameter

HIP 116018 (6.8 Billion mile diameter)

MSP191822g9469db91hg44300002e9ef3948gif0

 

By mass, it's R136a1

5.27×10^32 kilograms. 265 times the mass of the sun. That compares to HIP 116018's mere 44 times the mass of the sun! But, R136a1 only has 30.6 Million mile average diameter.

Betelgeuse is a puny 18 times the mass of the sun and a 1.3 Billion mile average diameter; still smaller diameter than HIP 116018.

Edited by DrGravitas
I really, really don't know! Adding more detail. YAY DETAIL!
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18 minutes ago, Nova said:

Neutrons stars can be so dense that they have the lensing effect.Some even have a event horizen.  

You are aware that any heavenly body, with enough gravity, can cause a lensing effect?

Also note, while Neutron stars are indeed dense they are actually on the smaller spectrum of stars. Arguably the smallest with a radius of about 11-11.5 km (7mi)

Edited by Vaer
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Hypernovae in other galaxies could end life on earth if they were lined up just right. Gamma Ray bursts are the most high output energy surges in the universe and those things blast them even more focused than usual.

That said, astronomers have mapped so friggin much of the sky that if it was going to happen, there's at least decent odds we'd get some warning.

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