23K views · 318 reactions | The Largest Stars in the Universes The...

How big is our Sun compared to the largest known star in the Universe? We’re currently working on the latest version of our Star Size Comparison, taking the visuals to a whole new level. Here’s a sneak peek comparing our Sun to Stephenson 2-18 — the largest known star. You’ll also see how their temperatures affect the color of each star. The color of a star is determined by its surface temperature, with hotter stars emitting more blue and ultraviolet light, and cooler stars emitting more red and

Stephenson 2-18 (also known as St2-18 or Stephenson 218) ranks among the largest known stars in the universe. This colossal red supergiant is situated in the constellation Scutum, roughly 19,000 light-years away from Earth. Its estimated radius is about 2,150 times that of the Sun—so immense that if placed at the center of our solar system, its surface would stretch past the orbit of Saturn. Despite its size, Stephenson 2-18 is relatively cool, with a surface temperature of around 3,200 K, which