Smallest vs Largest Known Star Seen From Earth (Simulation)

The smallest star we know, EBLM J0555-57Ab, is slightly smaller than Jupiter. The largest, Stephenson 2-18, would swallow Saturn's orbit. In this simulation both take the Sun's place over the same lake, then both are shown at the same distances: 1 AU, 10 AU, 100 AU, 1,000 AU, 10,000 AU and 1 light-year, side by side. Then: where they really are.

Numbers: EBLM J0555-57Ab, radius 0.084 R☉ (0.84 R♃), mass 85 M♃, ~600 ly. Stephenson 2-18, radius ~2,150 R☉, ~440,000 L☉, ~19,000 ly. Brightness at each distance from the inverse-square law; the small star at 1 light-year would be about magnitude 6.

Pure simulation, no narration. Rendered with our own WebGL engine.

Music 'Katabasis I' by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
#universe, #perfect universe, #galaxy #Mysteries