RW Cephei

RW Cephei is an impressive star with some fascinating characteristics! Here are some key details:

• Type: Red, orange, or yellow hypergiant

• Constellation: Cepheus

• Distance: Approximately 16,000 light-years from Earth

• Size: Its radius is about 1,100 times that of the Sun, nearly as large as Jupiter's orbit

• Luminosity: Around 300,000 to 540,000 times that of the Sun

• Temperature: Approximately 4,200 to 4,400 K

• Mass: Estimated to be between 25 and 40 times that of the Sun

RW Cephei is a semiregular variable star, meaning its brightness changes over time. Recently, it underwent a significant dimming event, similar to what Betelgeuse experienced in late 2019. This dimming was so pronounced that it drew the attention of astronomers, who used the CHARA Array to capture the first close-up images of the star. These images revealed an asymmetric and patchy surface, suggesting a dusty outburst might have caused the dimming.

Sources:

AAVSO Blog: RW Cephei, a King of Kings 

Wikipedia: RW Cephei - Wikipedia 

Science Times: Massive RW Cephei Star Gets First Close-Up Images