ASTRONOMERS HAVE discovered what is believed to be the biggest star ever found. The star, named R136a1, is almost three hundred times larger than the sun and burns with almost 10 million times its brightness.
The monster star was discovered in a region of space known as the ‘Tarantula nebula’ in a neighbouring galaxy.
Astrophysicist Paul Crowther, who is leading the international team behind the discovery, said that the enormous star is twice as heavy as any previously discovered and its size has already reduced considerably already over its lifetime.
Prof Crowther said that “unlike humans, these stars are born heavy and lose weight as they age,” adding that this star has already lost a fifth of its mass.
The star is now ‘middle-aged’, according to the scientist.
