Luminous Stars
Objects in this class have 80 to 150 times the mass of the Sun and lifetimes of only a few million years. Unlike ordinary stars, they are strongly affected by the outward pressure of the light that they emit, which blows off massive winds from their outer atmospheres. Besides the Pistol Star, several other objects have been cited as the "most luminous star" in recent years. Almost all of them have been demoted by later, improved studies. Among the most famous is Eta Carinae, now confirmed to be a system of at least two stars. Our galaxy probably has 10 to 100 stars surpassing Eta Carinae, but their visible light is hidden by interstellar dust, hindering their immediate identification and detailed study. Most should eventually be observable in infrared light.
Read more about this topic: Pistol Star
Famous quotes containing the words luminous and/or stars:
“A quibble is to Shakespeare what luminous vapours are to the traveller: he follows it at all adventures; it is sure to lead him out of his way and sure to engulf him in the mire.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“It would be better for men
To be few and live far apart, where none could infect another; then
slowly the sanity of field and mountain
And the cold ocean and glittering stars might enter their minds.”
—Robinson Jeffers (1887–1962)