Sunday, February 16, 2025

First-ever photo of star in distant galaxy captured!

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Left: An image of the star WOH G64 taken with the Very Large Telescope Interferometer in Chile. Right: An artist’s impression of the star

ESO/K. Ohnaka et al., L. Calçada

A group of astronomers has captured the first detailed image of a star in a different galaxy, located over 160,000 light years away. This giant star, called WOH G64, is possibly approaching the end of its life, a phase never observed up close before.

Among the largest stars known are red supergiants like WOH G64, which have consumed their hydrogen fuel and now burn a surrounding shell of hydrogen gas. This process causes these stars to expand significantly.

WOH G64, also known as the behemoth star, is between 1540 and 2575 times larger than our sun and exists in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring galaxy to the Milky Way. Astronomers have been interested in studying this star since its discovery in the 1970s.

A team led by Jacco van Loon from Keele University, UK, utilized the Very Large Telescope Interferometer in Chile to capture a close-up view of WOH G64. This detailed image revealed a luminous ball of gas and dust around the star, hinting at potential upcoming changes in the star’s lifecycle.

This remarkable achievement gives scientists new insights into the behavior of massive stars, providing valuable data for future research.

Topics: Astronomy, Stars, Red Supergiants


Vocabulary List:

  1. Astronomers /əˈstrɒn.ə.mərz/ (noun): Scientists who study celestial bodies and the universe.
  2. Supergiants /ˈsuː.pərˌdʒaɪ.əntz/ (noun): Extremely large stars that are more luminous than giants.
  3. Lifecycle /ˈlaɪfˌsaɪ.kəl/ (noun): The series of stages in the life of an organism or object.
  4. Captured /ˈkæp.tʃərd/ (verb): Taken or recorded especially in reference to images or observations.
  5. Luminous /ˈluː.mə.nəs/ (adjective): Emitting or reflecting light; shining.
  6. Expansion /ɪkˈspæn.ʃən/ (noun): The act of becoming larger or more extensive.

How much do you know?


Where is the star WOH G64 located?
Large Magellanic Cloud
Milky Way Galaxy
Andromeda Galaxy
Sombrero Galaxy


What type of star is WOH G64?
Red Supergiant
White Dwarf
Neutron Star
Black Hole


What process causes red supergiants like WOH G64 to expand significantly?
Burning Hydrogen Gas
Consuming Helium
Collapsing Core
Emitting Radiation


Who led the team that captured a close-up view of WOH G64?
Jacco van Loon
Keele University
Chile Observatory
NASA


What did the detailed image of WOH G64 reveal around the star?
Luminous ball of gas and dust
Solid planetary rings
Magnetic field lines
Dark matter halo


In which decade was WOH G64 discovered?
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s


WOH G64 is located in the Milky Way Galaxy.


Red supergiants like WOH G64 burn a surrounding shell of hydrogen gas.


The Very Large Telescope Interferometer is located in the UK.


WOH G64 is smaller than our sun.


The detailed image of WOH G64 showed potential upcoming changes in the star’s lifecycle.


Astronomers have never been interested in studying WOH G64.


WOH G64 is between and times larger than our sun.


A group of astronomers has captured the first detailed image of a star located over light years away.


The giant star WOH G64 is possibly approaching the end of its life, a phase never observed up close .


Scientists gained new insights into the behavior of massive stars through the detailed image of WOH G64, providing valuable data for research.


Astronomers utilized the Very Large Telescope Interferometer in to capture a close-up view of WOH G64.


WOH G64 exists in the Cloud, a neighboring galaxy to the Milky Way.

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