Stephenson 2-18 is a really really big star that’s actually pretty close by. This video tries to give the scale of it.
Google AI:
Key Characteristics
Type: Red hypergiant
Location: Constellation Scutum
Distance: Approximately 19,000 light-years from Earth
Size: Estimated radius of about 2,150 solar radii
Luminosity: Hundreds of thousands of times brighter than the Sun
Implications of its Size
Solar System Comparison: If St2-18 were at the center of our solar system, it would engulf the orbits of all the planets, including Saturn.
Travel Time: It would take nearly 9 hours to travel around its surface at the speed of light.
Other Details
Alternative Names: It is also known as Stephenson 2 DFK 1 or RSGC2-18.
Evolution: As a red hypergiant, it has a relatively short lifespan and is expected to end its life in a powerful supernova, potentially leaving behind a black hole.
