List of largest stars - wikipedia List of largest stars Not to be confused with List of most massive stars. This article possibly contains inappropriate or misinterpreted citations that do not verify the text. Please help improve this article by checking for citation inaccuracies. ( March 2018 ) Relative sizes of the planets in the Solar System and several well - known stars : Mercury < Mars < Venus < Earth Earth < Neptune < Uranus < Saturn < Jupiter Jupiter < Proxima Centauri < Sun < Sirius Sirius < Pollux < Arcturus < Aldebaran Aldebaran < Rigel < Antares < Betelgeuse Betelgeuse < NML Cygni < VV Cephei A < VY Canis Majoris < UY Scuti Below is an ordered list of the largest stars currently known by radius. The unit of measurement used is the radius of the Sun ( approximately 695,700 km ; 432,288 mi ). The exact order of this list is very incomplete, as great uncertainties currently remain, especially when deriving various important parameters used in calculations, such as stellar luminosity and effective temperature. Often stellar radii can only be expressed as an average or within a large range of values. Values for stellar radii vary significantly in sources and throughout the literature, mostly as the boundary of the very tenuous atmosphere ( opacity ) greatly differs depending on the wavelength of light in which the star is observed. Radii of several stars can be directly obtained by stellar interferometry. Other methods can use lunar occultations or from eclipsing binaries, which can be used to test other indirect methods of finding true stellar size. Only a few useful supergiant stars can be occulted by the Moon, including Antares and Aldebaran. Examples of eclipsing binaries include Epsilon Aurigae, VV Cephei, HR 5171, and the red - giant binary system KIC 9246715 in the constellation of Cygnus. Contents 1 Caveats 2 Extragalactic large stars 3 List 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Caveats UY Scuti as seen in visible light. Complex issues exist in determining the true radii of the largest stars, which in many cases do display significant errors. The following lists are generally based on various considerations or assumptions that include : Largest stars are usually expressed in units of the solar radius ( R ), where 1.00 R equals 695,700 kilometres. Stellar radii or diameters are usually only approximated using Stefan -- Boltzmann law for the deduced stellar luminosity and effective surface temperature ; Stellar distances, and their errors, for most, remain uncertain or poorly determined ; Many supergiant stars have extended atmospheres and many are embedded within opaque dust shells, making their true effective temperatures highly uncertain ; Many extended supergiant atmospheres also significantly change in size over time, regularly or irregularly pulsating over several months or years as variable stars. This makes adopted luminosities poorly known and may significantly change the quoted radii ; Other direct methods for determining stellar radii, rely on lunar occultations or from eclipses in binary systems. This is only possible for a very small number of stars ; Based on various theoretical evolutionary models, few stars will exceed 1,500 -- 2,000 times the Sun ( roughly 3,715 K and M = − 9 ). Such limits maybe also depend on the stellar metallicity. Extragalactic large stars In this list are some examples of more distant extragalactic stars, which may have slightly different properties and natures than the currently largest known stars in the Milky Way : Some red supergiants in the Magellanic Clouds are suspected to have slightly different limiting temperatures and luminosities. Such stars may exceed accepted limits by undergoing large eruptions or change their spectral types over just a few months. Humphreys et al., for example, calculates the maximum size for a Magellanic cloud star as ~ 2,600 R. A survey of the Magellanic Clouds has catalogued many red supergiants, where more than 50 of them exceed 700 R ( 490,000,000 km ; 3.3 AU ; 300,000,000 mi ). Largest of these is about 1,200 - 1,300 R. List This list is incomplete ; you can help by expanding it. List of the largest stars Star name Solar radii ( Sun = 1 ) Method Notes Orbit of Saturn 1,940 -- 2,169 Reported for reference UY Scuti 1,708 ± 192 AD Margin of error in size determination : ± 192 solar radii. At the smallest, it would have a size similar to VX Sagittarii ( see below ) WOH G64 1,540 -- 1,730 L / T This would be the largest star in the LMC, but is unusual in position and motion and might still be a foreground halo giant. RW Cephei 1,535 L / T RW Cep is variable both in brightness ( by at least a factor of 3 ) and spectral type ( observed from G8 to M ), thus probably also in diameter. Because the spectral type and temperature at maximum luminosity are not known, the quoted size is just an estimate. Westerlund 1 - 26 1,530 - 1,580 ( -- 2,550 ) L / T Very uncertain parameters for an unusual star with strong radio emission. The spectrum is variable but apparently the luminosity is not. KY Cygni 1,420 -- 2,850 L / T The upper estimate is due to an unusual K band measurement and thought to be an artifact of a reddening correction error, and is thought to be against stellar evolutionary theory. The lower estimate is consistent with other stars in the same survey and with theoretical models. VY Canis Majoris 1,420 ± 120 AD Humphreys et al previously estimated the radius of VY CMa to be 1,800 R to 2,200 R ; a size so large that places it outside the bounds of stellar evolutionary theory. Improved measurements have brought it down to size. This star is a red hypergiant, although Massey et al. considered it as a normal red supergiant with a radius of only 600 R. AH Scorpii 1,411 ± 124 AD AH Sco is variable by nearly 3 magnitudes in the visual range, and an estimated 20 % in total luminosity. The variation in diameter is not clear because the temperature also varies. VV Cephei A 1,400, 1,050 -- 1,900 VV Cep A is a highly distorted star in a close binary system, losing mass to the secondary for at least part of its orbit. Other estimates give a range from 1,200 R to 1,600 R. RSGC1 - F02 1,398 L / T RSGC1 - F01 1,335 L / T HR 5171 A 1,315 ± 260, 1,575 ± 400 AD HR 5171 A is a highly distorted star in a close binary system, losing mass to the secondary, and is also variable in temperature, thus probably also in diameter. Traditionally, it is considered as the largest known yellow hypergiant, although the latest research suggests it is a red supergiant with a radius 1,490 ± 540 R. SMC 18136 1,310 This would be the largest star in the SMC. PZ Cassiopeiae 1,260 - 1,340, 1,190 - 1,940 L / T The largest estimate is due to an unusual K band measurement and thought to be an artifact of a reddening correction error. The lowest estimate is consistent with other stars in the same survey and with theoretical models, and the intermediate ones have been obtained refining the distance to this star, and thus its parameters. Mu Cephei ( Herschel 's `` Garnet Star '' ) 1,260 Reddest star in the night sky. Other recent estimates range from 650 R to 1,420 R LMC 136042 1,240 BI Cygni 1,240 L / T Westerlund 1 - 237 1,233 L / T Calculated from an effective temperature of 3,600 K and a luminosity of 230,000 L. SMC 5092 1,220 S Persei 1,212 ± 124 AD & L / T A red hypergiant localed in the Perseus Double Cluster. A large radius of 1,230 R is due to an unusual K band measurement and thought to be an artifact of a reddening correction error. A small radius of 780 R is consistent with other stars in the same survey and with theoretical models. LMC 175464 1,200 LMC 135720 1,200 RAFGL 2139 1,200 RAFGL 2139 is a rare red supergiant companion to WR 114 that has a bow shock. SMC 69886 1,190 NML Cygni 1,183 L / T RSGC1 - F05 1,177 L / T EV Carinae 1,168 - 2,880 L / T RSGC1 - F03 1,168 L / T LMC 119219 1,150 RSGC1 - F08 1,146 L / T BC Cygni 1,140 - 1,230 L / T Other recent estimates range from 856 R to 1,553 R. SMC 10889 1,130 VX Sagittarii 1,120 - 1,550 L / T VX Sgr is a pulsating variable calculated to vary in size from 1,350 R to 1,940 R. LMC 141430 1,110 LMC 175746 1,100 RSGC1 - F13 1,098 L / T RT Carinae 1,090 L / T RSGC1 - F04 1,082 L / T LMC 174714 1,080 LMC 68125 1,080 SMC 49478 1,080 SMC 20133 1,080 V396 Centauri 1,070 L / T SMC 8930 1,070 Orbit of Jupiter 1,064 -- 1,173 Reported for reference HV 11423 1,060 -- 1,220 L / T HV 11423 is variable in spectral type ( observed from K0 to M5 ), thus probably also in diameter. In October 1978, it was a star of M0I type. CK Carinae 1,060 L / T SMC 25879 1,060 LMC 142202 1,050 LMC 146126 1,050 LMC 67982 1,040 U Lacertae 1,022 L / T RSGC1 - F11 1,015 L / T LMC 143877 1,010 KW Sagittarii 1,009 - 1,460 AD & L / T Margin of possible error : ± 142 solar radii ( Torres 2013 ). SMC 46497 990 LMC 140296 990 RSGC1 - F09 986 L / T NR Vulpeculae 980 L / T SMC 12322 980 LMC 177997 980 SMC 59803 970 GCIRS 7 960 ± 92 AD Betelgeuse ( Alpha Orionis ) 955 ± 217 AD Other recent estimates range from 887 ± 203 R to 1,180 R SMC 50840 950 RSGC1 - F10 931 L / T S Cassiopeiae 930 IX Carinae 920 L / T HV 2112 916 L / T Most likely candidate for a Thorne - Zytkow Object. RSGC1 - F07 910 L / T LMC 54365 900 NSV 25875 891 L / T LMC 109106 890 RSGC1 - F06 885 L / T LMC 116895 880 SMC 30616 880 LMC 64048 880 V437 Scuti 874 L / T V602 Carinae 860 - 1,050 L / T & AD Margin of possible error : ± 165 solar radii ( Torres 2015 ). V669 Cassiopeiae 859 L / T SMC 55681 850 SMC 15510 850 LMC 61753 830 LMC 62090 830 SMC 11709 830 V1185 Scorpii 830 L / T Outer limits of the asteroid belt 816 Reported for reference LMC 142199 810 LMC 134383 800 BO Carinae 790 L / T LMC 142907 790 SU Persei 780 L / T In the Perseus Double Cluster RS Persei 770 - 1,000 AD & L / T In the Perseus Double Cluster. Margin of possible error : ± 30 solar radii ( Baron 2014 ). AV Persei 770 L / T In the Perseus Double Cluster V355 Cepheus 770 L / T V915 Scorpii 760 L / T S Cephei 760 SMC 11939 750 HD 303250 750 V382 Carinae 747 The brightest yellow hypergiant in the night sky, one of the rarest types of star. Achmad ( 1992 ) calculates 600 R to 1,100 R or 700 ± 250 R. RU Virginis 742 LMC 137818 740 SMC 48122 740 SMC 56732 730 V648 Cassiopeiae 710 L / T XX Persei 710 L / T Located in the Perseus Double Cluster and near the border with Andromeda. TV Geminorum 620 - 710 ( -- 770 ) L / T HD 179821 704 A yellow hypergiant, although most authors consider it as a supergiant, a protoplanetary nebula or a post-AGB star with a luminosity of only 16,000 L. LMC 169754 700 LMC 65558 700 V528 Carinae 700 L / T The following well - known stars are listed for the purpose of comparison. V354 Cephei 690 - 1,520 L / T Antares A ( Alpha Scorpii A ) 680 AD This star appears to vary its size by 165 R. Older estimates have given radii over 800 R, but some are likely to have been affected by asymmetry of the atmosphere and the narrow range of infrared wavelengths observed. Other recent estimates range from 653 R to 1,246 R. CE Tauri 587 -- 593 ( -- 608 ) Second reddest star in the night sky. Can be occulted by the Moon, allowing accurate determination of its apparent diameter. R Leporis ( Hind 's `` Crimson Star '' ) 400 -- 535 Margin of possible error : ± 90 solar radii. Rho Cassiopeiae 400 - 500 Yellow hypergiant, one of the rarest types of a star. Inner limits of the asteroid belt 412 Reported for reference Mira A ( Omicron Ceti ) 332 -- 402 Prototype Mira variable. De beck ( 2005 ) calculates 541 R. V509 Cassiopeiae 400 -- 900 Yellow hypergiant, one of the rarest types of a star. CW Leonis 390 -- 500, 700 -- 826 L / T CW Leonis is one of the mistaken identities as the claimed planet `` Nibiru '' or `` Planet X '', due to its brightness as it approaches 1st magnitude. V838 Monocerotis 380 ( in 2009 ) A short time after the outburst V838 Mon was measured at 1,570 ± 400 R. However the distance to this `` L supergiant '', and hence its size, have since been reduced and it proved to be a transient object that shrunk about four-fold over a few years. S Doradus 100 - 380 Prototype S Doradus variable R Doradus 370 ± 50 Star with the second largest apparent size after the Sun. IRC + 10420 357 -- 1,342 L / T A yellow hypergiant that has increased its temperature into the LBV range. The Pistol Star 340 Blue hypergiant, among the most massive and luminous stars known. La Superba ( Y Canum Venaticorum ) 307 - 390 L / T Referred to as La Superba by Angelo Secchi. Currently one of the coolest and reddest stars. Solar System Habitable Zone 305 Reported for reference Orbit of Mars 297 -- 358 Reported for reference Alpha Herculis ( Ras Algethi ) 284 ± 60 Moravveji et al also gives a range from 264 R to 303 R. At an estimated distance of 110 parsecs from the Sun, this corresponds to a radius of 400 ± 61 R. Sun 's red giant phase 256 The core hydrogen would be exhausted in 5.4 billion years. In 7.647 billion years, The Sun would reach the tip of the red - giant branch of the Hertzsprung -- Russell diagram. ( see below ) Reported for reference Eta Carinae A ( Tseen She ) 250, 60 -- 800 Previously thought to be the most massive single star, but in 2005 it was realized to be a binary system. Other estimates gives 85 R to 195 R. Orbit of Earth 211 -- 219 Reported for reference Deneb ( Alpha Cygni ) 203 ± 17 LBV 1806 - 20 200 Formerly a candidate for the most luminous star in the Milky Way. Orbit of Venus 154 -- 157 Reported for reference Epsilon Aurigae A ( Almaaz ) 143 - 358 ε Aur was incorrectly hailed as the largest star with a radius 2,000 R or 3,000 R, even though it later turned out not to be an infrared light star but rather a dusk torus surrounding the system. Peony Nebula Star 92 Candidate for most luminous star in the Milky Way. Rigel A ( Beta Orionis A ) 78.9 -- 115 Margin of possible error : ± 7.4 solar radii. Canopus ( Alpha Carinae ) 71 ± 4 Second brightest star in the night sky. Orbit of Mercury 66 -- 100 Reported for reference Aldebaran ( Alpha Tauri ) 44.13 ± 0.84 Polaris ( Alpha Ursae Minoris ) 37.5 The current northern pole star. R136a1 35.4 Also on record as the most massive and luminous star known. Arcturus ( Alpha Boötis ) 25.4 ± 0.2 Brightest star in the northern hemisphere. HDE 226868 20 - 22 The supergiant companion of black hole Cygnus X-1. The black hole is 500,000 times smaller than the star. VV Cephei B 13 - 25 The B - type main sequence companion of VV Cephei A. Sun 's helium burning phase 10 After the red - giant branch the Sun has approximately 120 million years of active life left. Reported for reference Sun The largest object in the Solar System. Reported for reference Jump up ^ AD : radius determined from angular diameter and distance L / T : radius calculated from bolometric luminosity and effective temperature See also Star portal Constellation Lists of stars List of most massive stars List of most luminous stars List of hottest stars List of coolest stars List of most massive black holes List of largest nebulae List of largest galaxies List of largest cosmic structures List of largest exoplanets List of star extremes References Jump up ^ Hełminiak, K.G. ; Ukita, N. ; Kambe, E. ; Konacki, M. ( 2015 ). `` Absolute Stellar Parameters of KIC 09246715 : A Double - giant Eclipsing System with a Solar - like Oscillator ''. The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 813 ( 2 ) : L25. arXiv : 1509.03340. 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Jump up ^ Hack, M. ; Engin, S. ; Yilmaz, N. ; Sedmak, G. ; Rusconi, L. ; Boehm, C. ( 1992 ). `` Spectroscopic study of the atmospheric eclipsing binary VV Cephei ''. Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series ( ISSN0365 - 0138 ). 95 : 589. Bibcode : 1992A&AS... 95... 589H. External links Giant Stars An interactive website comparing the Earth and the Sun to some of the largest known stars Three largest stars identified BBC News What is the Biggest Star in the Universe ? Universe Today hide The 10 largest stars by radius The Ten largest stars in solar radius The Ten largest stars 1 ) VY Canis Majoris ( 1,420 -- ) 2,200 2 ) VV Cephei A ( 1,050 -- ) 1,900 3 ) UY Scuti 1,708 ± 192 4 ) NML Cygni 1,640 ( 1,183 -- 2,770 ) 5 ) WOH G64 1,540 - 1,730 6 ) RW Cephei 1,535 7 / 1 ) Westerlund 1 - 26 1,530 -- 2,550 8 ) RSGC1 - F02 1,498 9 ) RSGC1 - F01 1,435 10 ) KY Cygni 1,420 -- 2,850 For comparison HR 5171 A 1,315 -- 1,575 Mu Cephei 1,260 ( 650 -- 1,420 ) KW Sagittarii 1,009 - 1,460 Betelgeuse 887 − 1,180 V382 Carinae 747 ( 600 -- 1,100 ) TV Geminorum 620 - 710 ( - 770 ) V354 Cephei 690 -- 1,520 Antares 680 -- 890 CW Leonis 390 -- 826 Star Formation Accretion Molecular cloud Bok globule Young stellar object Protostar Pre-main - sequence star Herbig Ae / Be Orion T Tauri FU Orionis Herbig -- Haro object Hayashi track Henyey track Evolution Main sequence Red giant branch Horizontal branch Red clump Asymptotic giant branch Protoplanetary nebula Planetary nebula PG1159 star Dredge - up Instability strip Luminous blue variable Blue straggler Stellar population Supernova Supernova impostor Hypernova Hertzsprung -- Russell diagram Color -- color diagram Luminosity class Subdwarf Dwarf Blue Red White Yellow Brown Subgiant Giant Blue Red Yellow Bright giant Supergiant Blue Red Yellow Hypergiant Yellow Spectral classification WR Be OB Subdwarf O Subdwarf B Late - type Chemically peculiar Am Ap / Bp Oscillating Barium Carbon CH CN Extreme helium Lambda Boötis Lead HgMn Technetium Shell Remnants White dwarf Helium planet Neutron star Radio - quiet Pulsar Binary X-ray Magnetar Stellar black hole X-ray binary Burster Hypothetical stars Boson star Black dwarf Exotic Electroweak star Quark Strange Preon Planck Dark matter star Dark - energy star Black star Gravastar Frozen star Q star Quasi-star Thorne -- Żytkow object Iron star Blitzar Nucleosynthesis Deuterium burning Lithium burning Proton -- proton chain CNO cycle Helium flash Triple - alpha process Alpha process Carbon burning Neon burning Oxygen burning Silicon burning S - process R - process Fusor Nova Symbiotic Remnant Luminous red nova Structure Core Convection zone Microturbulence Oscillations Radiation zone Atmosphere Photosphere Starspot Chromosphere Corona Stellar wind Bubble Bipolar outflow Accretion disk Asteroseismology Helioseismology Eddington luminosity Kelvin -- Helmholtz mechanism Properties Designation Dynamics Effective temperature Kinematics Magnetic field Absolute magnitude Mass Metallicity Rotation UBV color Variable star Mira variable Star systems Binary Contact Common envelope Eclipsing Symbiotic Multiple Star cluster Open cluster Globular cluster Super star cluster Planetary system Earth 's Solar System Earth - centric observation of Pole star Circumpolar star Constellation Asterism Magnitude Apparent Extinction Photographic Radial velocity Proper motion Parallax Photometric - standard star Lists Star names Arabic Chinese Extremes Most massive Highest temperature Largest volume Smallest volume Brightest Historical Most luminous Nearest Nearest bright Stars with exoplanets Brown dwarfs White dwarfs Milky Way novae Notable supernovae Supernova candidates Supernova remnants Planetary nebulae Timeline of stellar astronomy Related articles Substellar object Brown dwarf Sub-brown dwarf Planet Galactic year Galaxy Supercluster Guest star Gravity Icarus ( most distant individual star ) Intergalactic star Infrared dark cloud Starfield Category : Stars Star portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_largest_stars&oldid=844456605 '' Categories : Hypergiants Supergiants Lists of stars Lists of superlatives in astronomy Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages Articles lacking reliable references from March 2018 All articles lacking reliable references All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from November 2017 Incomplete lists from January 2016 Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans Asturianu Башҡортса Български Boarisch Brezhoneg Čeština Deutsch Español فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Lëtzebuergesch Македонски मराठी Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Română Русский Simple English Slovenčina Српски / srpski Suomi Татарча / tatarça ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 26 more Edit links This page was last edited on 5 June 2018, at 01 : 29. 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Question: what is the biggest star in the milkyway
Answer: UY Scuti