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Stephenson 2-18, an immense red supergiant discovered in 1987, beckons from 18,000 light-years away, promising insights into stellar dynamics and a future supernova
Stephenson 2-18 is a red supergiant star located in the constellation Scutum. It is considered one of the largest stars known
The star is also extremely luminous, with a high intrinsic brightness. Its luminosity is believed to be over 200,000 times that of the Sun
Stephenson 2-18 is located at a considerable distance from Earth. It is generally considered to be around 18,000 light-years away
The star was discovered by American astronomer Albert F. J. Moffat in 1987
Stephenson 2-18 is in advanced stage of its evolution. It is a red supergiant, which means it has exhausted the hydrogen fuel in its core and has expanded to a large size
Given its advanced evolutionary stage, Stephenson 2-18 is expected to undergo a supernova explosion at some point in the future. When this will happen is uncertain
Studying massive stars like Stephenson 2-18 provides valuable insights into the life cycle of stars and the processes that govern their evolution