Data
This list is currently limited mostly to galactic and Magellanic Cloud objects, but a few stars in other local group galaxies can now be examined in enough detail to determine the luminosities. As of mid-2012 the list is more or less complete for stars down to 1,000,000 times the luminosity of the sun. Some suspected binaries in this magnitude range are excluded because there is insufficient information about the luminosity of the individual components. Selected fainter stars are also shown for comparison.
Despite their extreme luminosity, many of these stars are nevertheless too distant to be observed with the naked eye. Stars that are at least sometimes visible to the unaided eye have their apparent magnitude (6.5 or brighter) highlighted in blue.
| Star name | Bolometric luminosity (in solar units) |
Absolute bolometric magnitude |
Approx. distance from solar system (in light years) |
Apparent visible magnitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R136a1 (in LMC) | 8,700,000 | −12.6 | 160,000 | 12.84 |
| WR 25 | 6,300,000 | −12.25 | 110,000 | ~18 |
| NGC 2363-V1 | 6,300,000 | −12.25 | 8.08 | |
| R136a2 (in LMC) | 6,000,000 | −12.2 | 160,000 | 12.96 |
| R136c (in LMC) | 5,600,000 | −12.1 | 160,000 | 13.47 |
| HD 38282 (R144 in LMC) | 5,000,000 | −12.0 | 160,000 | 11.15 |
| η Car | 5,000,000 | −12.0 | 7,500 | -0.8 to 7.9 |
| R136a3 (in LMC) | 3,800,000 | −11.6 | 160,000 | 13.01 |
| Peony Star (WR 102ka) | 3,200,000 | −11.5 | 26,100 | |
| VFTS 682 | 3,200,000 | −11.5 | 160,000 | 16.1 |
| LSS 4067 | 3,000,000 | −11.4 | 8,200 | 11.64 |
| NGC 3603-B | 2,900,000 | −11.3 | 24,000 | 11.33 |
| HD 93250 | 2,800,000 | −11.3 | 11,000 | 7.50 |
| Cyg OB2-#8A1 | 2,750,000 | −11.3 | 3,000 | 8.99 |
| WR 102hb | 2,600,000 | −11.3 | 26,000 | |
| AFGL 2298 | 2,500,000 | −11.25 | 33,000 | |
| HD 5980B (in SMC) | 2,500,000 | −11.25 | 200,000 | 11.9 |
| WR 102ea | 2,500,000 | −11.2 | 26,000 | |
| BAT99-33 (R99 in LMC) | 2,500,000 | −11.25 | 160,000 | 11.45 |
| WR 85 | 2,500,000 | −11.25 | 15,300 | 10.03 |
| HD 93129A | 2,500,000 | −11.25 | 7,500 | 6.97 (combined A+B) |
| NGC 3603-A1a | 2,500,000 | −11.2 | 24,000 | 11.18 (combined A1a + A1b) |
| Var 83 (in M33) | 2,240,000 | −11.1 | 3,000,000 | 16.40 |
| WR 158 | 2,200,000 | −11.1 | 26,000 | 11.24 |
| Arches-F6 | 2,200,000 | −11.1 | 25,000 | |
| Arches-F9 | 2,200,000 | −11.1 | 25,000 | |
| WR 24 | 2,200,000 | −11.1 | 8,200 | 6.48 |
| HDE 269810 (in LMC) | 2,200,000 | −11.1 | 170,000 | 12.28 |
| Cyg OB2-516 | 2,200,000 | −11.1 | 5000 | |
| WR 102c | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 26,000 | |
| LBV 1806-20 | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 38,700 | |
| Arches-F4 | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 25,000 | |
| WR 82 | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 17,200 | 11.55 |
| WR 131 | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 38,600 | 12.08 |
| WR 147 | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 2,100 | 14.89 |
| HD 5980A (in SMC) | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 200,000 | 11.7 |
| Arches-F7 | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 25,000 | |
| Arches-F1 | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 25,000 | |
| V429 Car A (=WR 22) | 2,000,000 | −11.0 | 8,200 | 6.42 |
| Cyg OB2-#12 | 1,900,000 | −10.9 | 5000 | 11.4 |
| Wray 17-96 | 1,800,000 | −10.9 | 15,000 | 17.8 |
| V2180 Cyg (=WR 130) | 1,800,000 | −10.9 | 8,800 | 12.14 |
| V4650 Sgr | 1,800,000 | −10.9 | 25,000 | |
| BAT99-100 (R134 in LMC) | 1,700,000 | −10.8 | 160,000 | 12.02 |
| BAT99110 (R136a5 in LMC) | 1,700,000 | −10.8 | 160,000 | 13.73 |
| ζ1 Sco | 1,700,000 | −10.8 | 5700 | 4.66 to 4.86 |
| Cyg OB2-#7 | 1,700,000 | −10.8 | 5000 | 12.7 |
| Arches-F12 | 1,600,000 | −10.8 | 25,000 | |
| AF And (in M31) | 1,600,000 | −10.8 | 2,500,000 | |
| LHO 110 | 1,600,000 | −10.8 | 26,000 | |
| AB8 A (in SMC) | 1,600,000 | −10.8 | 200,000 | 12.9 (combined) |
| V378 Vel (=WR 12) | 1,600,000 | −10.75 | 16,500 | 10.78 |
| The Pistol Star | 1,600,000 | −10.75 | 25,000 | |
| WR 78 | 1,600,000 | −10.75 | 6,500 | 6.49 |
| WR 89 | 1,600,000 | −10.75 | 9,400 | 11.02 |
| WR 107 | 1,600,000 | −10.75 | 13,400 | 14.1 |
| WR 148 | 1,600,000 | −10.75 | 27,100 | 10.3 |
| WR 102i | 1,500,000 | −10.7 | 26,000 | |
| NGC 3603-A1b | 1,500,000 | −10.6 | 24,000 | 11.18 (combined A1a + A1b) |
| Arches-F15 | 1,400,000 | −10.6 | 25,000 | |
| V396 Car (=WR 16) | 1,400,000 | −10.6 | 5,000 | 8.34 |
| WR 108 | 1,400,000 | −10.6 | 18,300 | 9.89 |
| WR 66 | 1,400,000 | −10.6 | 10,700 | 11.34 |
| Cyg OB2-771 | 1,400,000 | −10.6 | 5000 | |
| R126 (in LMC) | 1,400,000 | −10.6 | 160,000 | 10.91 |
| V729 Cyg A | 1,400,000 | −10.6 | 5000 | |
| Tr 27-27 | 1,350,000 | −10.5 | 8,200 | |
| BAT99-122 (R147 in LMC) | 1,300,000 | −10.6 | 160,000 | 12.92 |
| WR 87 | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 9,400 | 11.95 |
| Arches-F3 | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 25,000 | |
| Arches-F8 | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 25,000 | |
| WR 156 | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 11,700 | 11.01 |
| BAT99-68 (in LMC) | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 160,000 | 12.4 |
| BAT99-66 (in LMC) | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 160,000 | 15.3 |
| R139 A (in LMC) | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 160,000 | 12.0 (combined) |
| BAT99-104 (in LMC) | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 160,000 | 12.5 |
| V729 Cyg B | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 5000 | |
| HD 50064 | 1,300,000 | −10.5 | 9,500 | 8.21 |
| WR 102d | 1,200,000 | −10.4 | 26,000 | |
| V385 Car (=WR 40) | 1,100,000 | −10.4 | 7,400 | 7.85 |
| V1402 Aql (=WR 123) | 1,100,000 | −10.4 | 19,500 | 11.1 |
| Arches-F18 | 1,100,000 | −10.4 | 25,000 | |
| Cyg OB2-#8B | 1,100,000 | −10.4 | 5000 | 12.7 |
| Cyg OB2-#10 | 1,100,000 | −10.4 | 5000 | 12.7 |
| Cyg OB2-#22 | 1,100,000 | −10.4 | 5000 | 12.7 |
| Var B (in M33) | 1,100,000 | −10.4 | 3,000,000 | |
| BAT99-94 (R135 in LMC) | 1,000,000 | −10.3 | 160,000 | 14.52 |
| AG Car | 1,000,000 | −10.3 | 6000 | 5.7 to 9.0 |
| Arches-F2 | 1,000,000 | −10.25 | 25,000 | |
| Arches-F14 | 1,000,000 | −10.25 | 25,000 | |
| V460 Sct (=WR 116) | 1,000,000 | −10.25 | 8,100 | 13.38 |
| QR Sge (=WR 124) | 1,000,000 | −10.25 | 11,000 | 11.5 |
| The following well-known stars are listed for the purpose of comparison. | ||||
| Pismis 24-17 | 891,000 | −10.1 | 5,600 | 11.84 |
| S Dor (in LMC) | 870,000 | −10.1 | 169,000 | 8.6 to 11.5 (B) |
| Cyg OB2-#8C | 870,000 | −10.1 | 5000 | 13.25 |
| Cyg OB2-#11 | 790,000 | −10.0 | 5000 | |
| Pismis 24-1SW | 646,000 | −9.8 | 5,600 | 10.43 (Pismis 24-1 total for three components) |
| HD 33579 (in LMC) | 650,000 | −9.7 | 160,000 | 9.13 |
| P Cygni | 610,000 | −9.7 | 5,900 | 4.8 |
| ρ Cas | 550,000 | −9.6 | 12,000 | 4.1 to 6.2 |
| VY CMa | 450,000 | −9.4 | 4900 | 6.5 to 9.6 |
| ε Ori | 380,000 | −9.2 | 1300 | 1.70 |
| KW Sgr | 370,000 | −9.17 | 10,000 | 8.9 |
| ζ Pup | 360,000 | −9.0 | 1090 | 2.21 |
| V354 Cep | 360,000 | −9.15 | 9000 | 10.82 to 11.35 |
| RW Cep | 350,000 | −9.11 | 11,500 | 6.52 |
| μ Cep (the Garnet Star) | 340,000 | −9.08 | 1900 | 4.04 |
| VV Cep A | 315,000 | −9.0 | 2400 | 4.91 |
| WOH G64 (in LMC) | 280,000 | 163,000 | ||
| KY Cyg | 270,000 | −8.84 | 5000 | |
| Plaskett's Star A | 224,000 | −8.6 | 6600 | 6.06 (A + B) |
| θ1 Ori C | 220,000 | −8.6 | 1500 | 5.13 |
| Betelgeuse | 135,000 | 643 | 0.58 | |
| Rigel | 117,490 | −7.84 | 860 | 0.12 |
| Antares | 66,000 | −7.2 | 600 | 0.92 |
| Deneb | 196,000 | −8.38 | 1400 | 1.25 |
| Canopus | 12,900 | −5.53 | 310 | −0.62 |
| Polaris | 2,200 | −3.6 | 433 | 1.97 |
| Aldebaran | 350 | −0.63 | 65 | 0.85 |
| Arcturus | 210 | −0.31 | 37 | −0.04 |
| Capella | 78.5 | 0.4 | 42 | 0.08 |
| Vega | 37 | 0.58 | 25 | 0.00 |
| Sirius | 25.4 | 1.4 | 8.6 | −1.46 |
| α Centauri A | 1.519 | 4.38 | 4.4 | −0.01 |
| Sun | 1.00 | 4.83 | −26.74 | |
Read more about this topic: List Of Most Luminous Stars
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