View source for List of largest stars

[[File:Star-sizes.jpg|thumb|The planets of our Solar System, including [[Earth]] compared to the [[Sun]] and other stars.]]
Below is an ordered '''list of the largest stars''' currently known by  [[radius]] (half of the [[diameter]]). The unit of measurement used is the [[Solar radius|radius of the Sun]] (approximately {{convert|1|solar radius|km mi|0|abbr=on|disp=out}}).

The exact order of this list is very incomplete, as great uncertainties currently remain, especially when deriving various important parameters used in calculations, such as stellar [[luminosity]] and [[effective temperature]]. Often stellar radii can only be expressed as an average or within a large range of values. Values for stellar radii vary significantly in sources and throughout the literature, mostly as the boundary of the very tenuous atmosphere ([[Opacity (optics)|opacity]]) greatly differs depending on the wavelength of light in which the star is observed.

Radii of several stars can be directly obtained by [[Astronomical optical interferometry|stellar interferometry]]. Other methods can use lunar [[occultation]]s or from [[eclipsing binaries]], which can be used to test other indirect methods of finding true stellar size. Only a few useful [[supergiant]] stars can be occulted by the Moon, including [[Antares]] and [[Aldebaran]]. Examples of eclipsing binaries include [[Epsilon Aurigae]], [[VV Cephei]], [[HR 5171]], and the red-giant binary system [[KIC 9246715]] in the [[constellation]] of [[Cygnus (constellation)|Cygnus]].<ref name="Helminiak2015">{{cite journal
|title=Absolute Stellar Parameters of KIC 09246715: A Double-giant Eclipsing System with a Solar-like Oscillator 
|year=2015
|last1=Hełminiak|first1=K.G.
|last2=Ukita|first2=N.
|last3=Kambe|first3=E.
|last4=Konacki|first4= M.
|journal=The Astrophysical Journal Letters 
|volume=813 
|issue=2 
|pages=L25 
|arxiv=1509.03340
|doi=10.1088/2041-8205/813/2/L25
|bibcode= 2015ApJ...813L..25H}}</ref>

{{clear}}
__NOTOC__
==List==
{{Expand list|date=January 2016}}<!-- Do not remove; this list will be incomplete until we map the known universe. -->
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+'''List of the largest stars'''
|-
! style="background:#efefef; white-space:nobr;" | Star name
! style="background:#ffdead;" | [[Solar radius|Solar radii]]<br/>([[Sun]] = 1)
!Star Type (Morgan-Keenan Class)
! Method{{efn|AD: radius determined from angular diameter and distance<br/>L/T<sub>eff</sub>: radius calculated from [[bolometric luminosity]] and [[effective temperature]]}}
!Image
! Notes
|-<!--
| [[Dark star (dark matter)|Dark Star]]'s upper limit (hypothetical) || 215,000<ref name=Siegel/> || || A hypothetical type of star that is an enormous cloud of hydrogen and helium with a surface temperature low enough that the emitted radiation would be invisible to the naked eye. The upper limit is even larger than all of [[black hole]]s (except [[TON 618]], which is {{solar mass|66 billion}}, corresponding to a [[schwarzschild radius]] of {{convert|195.3|e9km|solar radius|lk=on}}).<br/> <small> Reported for reference </small>
|-style="background:blue;"
| <span style="color: white">Orbit of </span>[[Planet Nine|<span style="color: white">Planet Nine</span>]] <span style="color: white">(hypothetical)</span> || <span style="color: white">43,006–258,039</span> || || <span style="color: white"><small>Reported for reference</small></span>
|-style="background:orange;"
| Orbit of [[Sedna]] || 8,210-100,620 || || <small>Reported for reference</small>
|-style="background:beige;"
| Orbit of [[Pluto]] || 6,377–10,602 || || <small>Reported for reference</small>
|-
| [[Quasi-star]] (hypothetical) || 7,187<ref name="newsci">{{cite news| url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn12982-biggest-black-holes-may-grow-inside-quasistars.html#.Ut1FCftwHs0| title= Biggest black holes may grow inside 'quasistars'| date=29 November 2007| publisher=NewScientist.com news service| first= Stephen| last= Battersby}}</ref> || || A hypothetical type of star whose hypernovae could be the cause of quasars, galaxies and supermassive black holes. The [[List of most massive black holes|largest black holes]] could grow within those stars.<br/> <small> Reported for reference
--->|-
|-style="background:Violet;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Orbit of Pluto]] || 6,377–10,602 || || 
| ||<small>Reported for reference</small>
|-
|-style="background:Blue;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Orbit of Neptune]] || 6,411–6,526 || || 
| ||<small>Reported for reference</small>
|-
|-style="background:Cyan;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Orbit of Uranus]] || 3,941–4,324 || || 
| ||<small>Reported for reference</small>
|-
|[[Stephenson 2]]-18 || 2,160<ref name="thomas" />
|Red Supergiant (M) or Red Hypergiant (M)
|
| ||The current largest star known.
|-
| [[VY Canis Majoris]]<!--Do not downscale this star since there is a paper that consider it as the largest known star--> 
|2,100<ref name="Choi" /><ref name="largest" />|| Red Hypergiant (M)|| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
|[[File:VY Canis Majoris.jpg|50x50px]]|| Candidate for the largest known star.<ref name="Alcolea">{{cite journal |doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201321683 |title=HIFISTARSHerschel/HIFI observations of VY Canis Majoris |journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics |volume=559 |pages=A93 |year=2013 |last1=Alcolea |first1=J |last2=Bujarrabal |first2=V |last3=Planesas |first3=P |last4=Teyssier |first4=D |last5=Cernicharo |first5=J |last6=De Beck |first6=E |last7=Decin |first7=L |last8=Dominik |first8=C |last9=Justtanont |first9=K |last10=De Koter |first10=A |last11=Marston |first11=A. P |last12=Melnick |first12=G |last13=Menten |first13=K. M |last14=Neufeld |first14=D. A |last15=Olofsson |first15=H |last16=Schmidt |first16=M |last17=Schöier |first17=F. L |last18=Szczerba |first18=R |last19=Waters |first19=L. B. F. M }}</ref> Once thought to be {{solar radius|3,000}}, making it outside of [[stellar evolution]]ary theory. Improved measurements have brought it down to size (see below).<ref name=wittkowski/><ref name="Choi">{{cite journal
  |title=Distance to VY CMa with VERA
  |publisher=Publications Astronomical Society of Japan
  |bibcode=2008PASJ...60.1007C
  |volume=60
  |issue=5
  |year=2008
  |page=1007
  |journal=Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
  |author1=Choi, Yoon Kyung |author2=Hirota, Tomoya |author3=Honma, Mareki |author4=Kobayashi, Hideyuki |author5=Bushimata, Takeshi 
  |author6=Imai, Hiroshi |author7=Iwadate, Kenzaburo |author8=Jike, Takaaki |author9=Kameno, Seiji |author10=Kameya, Osamu
  |author11=Kamohara, Ryuichi |author12=Kan-Ya, Yukitoshi |author13=Kawaguchi, Noriyuki |author14=Kijima, Masachika |author15=Kim, Mi Kyoung
  |author16=Kuji, Seisuke |author17=Kurayama, Tomoharu |author18=Manabe, Seiji |author19=Maruyama, Kenta |author20=Matsui, Makoto
  |author21=Matsumoto, Naoko |author22=Miyaji, Takeshi |author23=Nagayama, Takumi |author24=Nakagawa, Akiharu |author25=Nakamura, Kayoko
  |author26=Oh, Chung Sik |author27=Omodaka, Toshihiro |author28=Oyama, Tomoaki |author29=Sakai, Satoshi |author30=Sasao, Tetsuo
  |author31=Sato, Katsuhisa |author32=Sato, Mayumi |author33=Shibata, Katsunori M. |author34=Tamura, Yoshiaki |author35=Tsushima, Miyuki
  |author36=Yamashita, Kazuyoshi |display-authors=1
  |arxiv = 0808.0641|doi = 10.1093/pasj/60.5.1007 }}</ref>
|-<!--
| [[MY Cephei]] || 2,090<ref name=fawley>{{cite journal|bibcode=1974ApJ...193..367F|title=The open cluster NGC 7419 and its M7 supergiant IRC +60 375|journal=Astrophysical Journal|volume=193|pages=367|author1=Fawley|first1=W. M|last2=Cohen|first2=M|year=1974|doi=10.1086/153171}}</ref><ref name=cesetti>{{cite journal|bibcode=2013A&A...549A.129C|title=The Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) spectral library:. Spectral diagnostics for cool stars|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=549|pages=A129|author1=Cesetti|first1=M|last2=Pizzella|first2=A|last3=Ivanov|first3=V. D|last4=Morelli|first4=L|last5=Corsini|first5=E. M|last6=Dalla Bontà|first6=E|year=2013|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201219078}}</ref> || L/T<sub>eff</sub> || The quoted size was calculated by a luminosity of {{Solar luminosity|180,000}}<ref name=fawley/> and a very cool temperature of 2,600 K.<ref name=cesetti/> However, the luminosity is obsolete and the temperature unreliable and currently cannot be one of the largest stars.-->
|-
|Red Supergiants of Westerlund 1
|2,000<ref>https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6361%2F201116990</ref>
|Red Supergiants/Hypergiants (M, K, G)
|
|[[File:Westerlund 1.jpg|50x50px]]
|These red supergiants, other than Westerlund 1-26, are not yet properly identified, and cannot be hailed as the largest stars.
|-style="background:Gold;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Orbit of Saturn]] || 1,940–2,169 
| ||  
| ||<small>Reported for reference</small>
|-
| [[VV Cephei|VV Cephei A]] || {{nobr|1,900<ref name=levesqueetal2005/> }}
|Red Supergiant (M)
| 
|[[File:Cepheus constellation crop VV Cephei location.png|50x50px]]|| VV Cep A is a highly distorted star in a close binary system, losing mass to the secondary for at least part of its orbit. It is probably the largest star visible to the naked eye.<!-- Other estimates give radii of {{solar radius|1,050}}<ref name=bauer2008>{{Cite journal | last1 = Bauer | first1 = W. H. | last2 = Gull | first2 = T. R. | last3 = Bennett | first3 = P. D. | doi = 10.1088/0004-6256/136/3/1312 | title = Spatial Extension in the Ultraviolet Spectrum of Vv Cephei | journal = The Astronomical Journal | volume = 136 | issue = 3 | pages = 1312 | year = 2008 | pmid = | pmc = |bibcode = 2008AJ....136.1312H }}</ref> or {{solar radius|1,400}}{{sfn|Ridpath|Tirion|2001|pp=112–113}}.-->
|-
|[[V538 Carinae]]
|1,885<ref name=":0">https://github.com/SevenSpheres/Celestia-stars/blob/master/jsdc.stc</ref>
|Red Supergiant (M)|| AD 
|-
|[[MY Cephei]]
|1,750<ref>https://doi.org/10.1086%2F153171, https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6361%2F201219078</ref>
|Red Hypergiant (M)
|L/T<sub>eff</sub>
|[[File:NGC 7419 2MASS.jpg|65x65px]]
|One of the coolest known red supergiants.
|-
| [[NML Cygni]] || 1,650–2,770<ref name=zhang>{{Cite journal|last1=Zhang|first1=B.|last2=Reid|first2=M. J.|last3=Menten|first3=K. M.|last4=Zheng|first4=X. W.|last5=Brunthaler|first5=A.|year=2012|title=The distance and size of the red hypergiant NML Cygni from VLBA and VLA astrometry|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=544|pages=A42|arxiv=1207.1850|bibcode=2012A&A...544A..42Z|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201219587}}</ref>
|Red Hypergiant (M)|| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
|[[File:CygOB2 med.jpg|54x54px]]|| De beck ''et al.'' 2010 calculates {{solar radius|1,183}},<ref name=debeck/> although the quoted sizes were based on a more accurate measure of its distance combined with assumptions of its temperature.
|-
|[[V838 Monocerotis]]
|1,570<ref>https://doi.org/10.1086%2F429619</ref>
|Red Hypergiant (L)<ref>https://doi.org/10.1046%2Fj.1365-8711.2003.06755.x</ref>
|
|[[File:V838 Mon HST.jpg|50x50px]]
|Variable star that erupted rapidly in 2002. Likely the first L-type supergiant (or hypergiant).
|-
| [[VX Sagittarii]] || 1,550<ref name=xu2018>{{cite arXiv|eprint=1804.00894|last1=Xu|first1=Shuangjing|title=The Parallax of the Red Hypergiant VX Sgr with Accurate Tropospheric Delay Calibration|last2=Zhang|first2=Bo|last3=Reid|first3=Mark J|last4=Menten|first4=Karl M|last5=Zheng|first5=Xingwu|last6=Wang|first6=Guangli|class=astro-ph.IM|year=2018}}</ref> 
|Red Hypergiant (M)|| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
|[[File:VX Sagittarii Red Supergiant Star.png|50x50px]]|| VX Sgr is a pulsating variable with a large visual range and varies significantly in size from {{solar radius|1,120}}<ref name=xu2018/> to {{solar radius|1,940}}<ref name=lockwood>{{cite journal| author1=Lockwood, G.W. |author2=Wing, R. F.| title=The light and spectrum variations of VX Sagittarii, an extremely cool supergiant |journal=[[Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society]]| volume=198|issue=2| pages=385–404 |year=1982 |bibcode=1982MNRAS.198..385L | doi=10.1093/mnras/198.2.385}}</ref>.
|-
| [[WOH G64]] || 1,540±5%<ref name="Levesque2009">{{cite journal
  |title=The Physical Properties of the Red Supergiant WOH G64: The Largest Star Known?
  |journal=Astronomical Journal
  |volume=137  |issue=6  |page=4744
  |date=June 2009
  |bibcode=2009AJ....137.4744L
  |doi=10.1088/0004-6256/137/6/4744
|arxiv = 0903.2260 |last1=Levesque
  |first1=Emily M
  |last2=Massey
  |first2=Philip
  |last3=Plez
  |first3=Bertrand
  |last4=Olsen
  |first4=Knut A. G
  }}</ref> (–1,730<ref name="ohnaka">{{Cite journal | last1 = Ohnaka | first1 = K. | last2 = Driebe | first2 = T. | last3 = Hofmann | first3 = K. H. | last4 = Weigelt | first4 = G. | last5 = Wittkowski | first5 = M. | title = Resolving the dusty torus and the mystery surrounding LMC red supergiant WOH G64 | doi = 10.1017/S1743921308028858 | journal = Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union | volume = 4 | pages = 454 | year = 2009 | pmid = | pmc = | bibcode = 2009IAUS..256..454O }}</ref>)
|Red Hypergiant (M)|| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
|[[File:WOH G64.jpg|50x50px]]|| This would be the largest star in the [[Large Magellanic Cloud|LMC]], but is unusual in position and motion and might still be a foreground halo giant.
|-
| [[RW Cephei]]  || {{nobr| 1,535 }} <ref name=humphreys>{{cite journal|doi=10.1086/190559|title=Studies of luminous stars in nearby galaxies. I. Supergiants and O stars in the Milky Way|journal=The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series|volume=38|pages=309|year=1978|last1=Humphreys|first1=R. M.|bibcode=1978ApJS...38..309H}}</ref><ref name=davies>{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16965.x|title=The potential of red supergiants as extragalactic abundance probes at low spectral resolution|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society|volume=407|issue=2|pages=1203|year=2010|last1=Davies|first1=Ben|last2=Kudritzki|first2=Rolf-Peter|last3=Figer|first3=Donald F.|bibcode=2010MNRAS.407.1203D|arxiv = 1005.1008 }}</ref>(981 - 1,758)<ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=|title=.|url=https://doi.org/10.1086%2F190559|journal=.|volume=|pages=|via=}}</ref>
|Orange Hypergiant (K)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
|[[File:Star types T through O.png|50x50px]]|| RW Cep is variable both in brightness (by at least a factor of 3) and spectral type (observed from G8 to M), thus probably also in diameter.  Because the spectral type and temperature at maximum luminosity are not known, the quoted size is just an estimate. A radius of {{solar radius|981}} for 5,018 K or {{solar radius|1,758}} for 3,749 K.<ref name=irtf>{{cite journal|bibcode=2015A&A...582A..96M|title=Single stellar populations in the near-infrared. I. Preparation of the IRTF spectral stellar library|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=582|pages=A96|author1=Meneses-Goytia|first1=S.|last2=Peletier|first2=R. F.|last3=Trager|first3=S. C.|last4=Falcón-Barroso|first4=J.|last5=Koleva|first5=M.|last6=Vazdekis|first6=A.|year=2015|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201423837|arxiv = 1506.07184 }}</ref><ref name=humphreys/>
|-
| [[Westerlund 1-26]] || {{nobr| 1,530-1,580<ref name=wright>{{cite journal|bibcode=2014MNRAS.437L...1W|arxiv=1309.4086|title=The ionized nebula surrounding the red supergiant W26 in Westerlund 1|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters|volume=437|pages=L1|author1=Wright|first1=Nicholas J|last2=Wesson|first2=Roger|last3=Drew|first3=Janet E|last4=Barentsen|first4=Geert|last5=Barlow|first5=Michael J|last6=Walsh|first6=Jeremy R|last7=Zijlstra|first7=Albert|last8=Drake|first8=Jeremy J|last9=Eislöffel|first9=Jochen|last10=Farnhill|first10=Hywel J|year=2014|doi=10.1093/mnrasl/slt127}}</ref> (–2,550) }}<ref name=thomas>{{Cite journal|arxiv=1209.6427|last1=Fok|first1=Thomas K. T|title=Maser Observations of Westerlund 1 and Comprehensive Considerations on Maser Properties of Red Supergiants Associated with Massive Clusters|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=760|pages=65|last2=Nakashima|first2=Jun-ichi|last3=Yung|first3=Bosco H. K|last4=Hsia|first4=Chih-Hao|last5=Deguchi|first5=Shuji|year=2012|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/760/1/65}}</ref> 
|Red Hypergiant (M)|| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
|[[File:Westerlund 1.jpg|50x50px]]|| Very uncertain parameters for an unusual star with strong radio emission.  The spectrum is variable but apparently the luminosity is not.
|-
|[[V354 Cephei]]|| (690<ref name="mauron" />-) 1,520<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />
|Red Hypergiant (M)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
|[[File:Mukyv354.png|50x50px]]
| 
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F02 || 1,498<ref name=Davies2008/> 
|Red Supergiant (M)|| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
|[[File:Betelgeuse at 68,842 AU.jpg|50x50px]]||
|-
|[[HD 143183]]
|1,480<ref>https://doi.org/10.1086%2F378380</ref>
|Red Hypergiant (M)
|L/T<sub>eff</sub>
|[[File:HD 143183.png|50x50px]]
|
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F01 || 1,435<ref name=Davies2008/> 
|Red Supergiant (M)|| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
|[[File:Betelgeuse at 68,842 AU.jpg|50x50px]]||
|-
|[[VY Canis Majoris]]<ref name="wittkowski" />|| 1,420 ± 120<ref name="wittkowski">{{Cite journal | last1 = Wittkowski | first1 = M. | last2 = Hauschildt | first2 = P. H. | last3 = Arroyo-Torres | first3 = B. | last4 = Marcaide | first4 = J. M. | title = Fundamental properties and atmospheric structure of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris based on VLTI/AMBER spectro-interferometry | doi = 10.1051/0004-6361/201219126 | journal = Astronomy & Astrophysics | volume = 540 | pages = L12 | year = 2012 | pmid =  | pmc = |arxiv = 1203.5194 |bibcode = 2012A&A...540L..12W }}</ref>
|Red Hypergiant (M)|| AD 
|[[File:VY Canis Majoris.jpg|50x50px]]|| Based on Wittkowski ''et al'' model through a newly improved measurement although there is still considerable variation in estimates. <small> Reported for reference </small>
|-
| [[KY Cygni]] || {{nobr|672<ref>https://doi.org/10.3847%2F1538-3881%2Fab1cbd</ref>-2,850}}<ref name=levesqueetal2005/>
|Red Hypergiant (M)|| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Mukyv354.png|50x50px]]|| The upper estimate is due to an unusual [[K band (infrared)|K band]] measurement and thought to be an artifact of a reddening correction error, and is thought to be against [[stellar evolution]]ary theory. The lower estimate is consistent with other stars in the same survey and with theoretical models.
|-
|[[Mu Cephei]] ''([[William Herschel|Herschel]]'s "Garnet Star")''|| 1,420<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />
|Red Hypergiant (M)<ref>https://doi.org/10.3847%2F0004-6256%2F151%2F3%2F51</ref>||  || Mu Cep is the prototype of the obsolete class of the [[Mu Cephei variable]]s (now considered as a [[semiregular variable]]), and is also the reddest star in the night sky.<ref name="groups.google.com">https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!topic/uk.sci.astronomy/9nKaTsFHw6w</ref>
|-
| [[IRAS 04509-6922]]|| 1,360<ref name="jonathan" />
| rowspan="2" |Red Supergiant (M)
| rowspan="3" | L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Betelgeuse at 68,842 AU.jpg|50x50px]]||
|-
|[[HV 888]]|| 1,353<ref name="vanloon">{{cite journal|bibcode=2005A&A...438..273V|arxiv=astro-ph/0504379|title=An empirical formula for the mass-loss rates of dust-enshrouded red supergiants and oxygen-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch stars|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=438|pages=273|author1=Van Loon|first1=J. Th.|last2=Cioni|first2=M.-R. L.|last3=Zijlstra|first3=A. A.|last4=Loup|first4=C.|year=2005|doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20042555}}</ref>||
|-
|[[IRC +10420]]
|1,342<ref name="debeck" />
|Yellow Hypergiant (A)
|[[File:IRC+10420.jpg|50x50px]]
|A [[yellow hypergiant]] that has increased its temperature into the [[Luminous blue variable|LBV]] range.
|-
|[[V766 Centauri|HR 5171 A]]||{{nobr| 1,315 ± 260}},<ref name="chesneau">{{cite journal|bibcode=2014A&A...563A..71C|arxiv=1401.2628v2|title=The yellow hypergiant HR 5171 A: Resolving a massive interacting binary in the common envelope phase|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=563|pages=A71|author1=Chesneau|first1=O.|last2=Meilland|first2=A.|last3=Chapellier|first3=E.|last4=Millour|first4=F.|last5=Van Genderen|first5=A. M.|last6=Nazé|first6=Y.|last7=Smith|first7=N.|last8=Spang|first8=A.|last9=Smoker|first9=J. V.|last10=Dessart|first10=L.|last11=Kanaan|first11=S.|last12=Bendjoya|first12=Ph.|last13=Feast|first13=M. W.|last14=Groh|first14=J. H.|last15=Lobel|first15=A.|last16=Nardetto|first16=N.|last17=Otero|first17=S.|last18=Oudmaijer|first18=R. D.|last19=Tekola|first19=A. G.|last20=Whitelock|first20=P. A.|last21=Arcos|first21=C.|last22=Curé|first22=M.|last23=Vanzi|first23=L.|year=2014|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201322421}}</ref> {{nowrap|1,575 ± 400<ref name=wittkowski092017>{{cite journal|bibcode=2017arXiv170909430W|arxiv=1709.09430|title=Multi-epoch VLTI-PIONIER imaging of the supergiant V766 Cen: Image of the close companion in front of the primary|volume=1709|pages=arXiv:1709.09430|author1=Wittkowski|first1=M|last2=Abellan|first2=F. J|last3=Arroyo-Torres|first3=B|last4=Chiavassa|first4=A|last5=Guirado|first5=J. C|last6=Marcaide|first6=J. M|last7=Alberdi|first7=A|last8=De Wit|first8=W. J|last9=Hofmann|first9=K.-H|last10=Meilland|first10=A|last11=Millour|first11=F|last12=Mohamed|first12=S|last13=Sanchez-Bermudez|first13=J|date=28 September 2017}}</ref>}}
|Yellow Hypergiant (K) or Red Supergiant (M)|| AD 
|[[File:HR 5171A.jpg|50x50px]]|| HR 5171 A is a highly distorted star in a close binary system, losing mass to the secondary, and is also variable in temperature, thus probably also in size.<ref name="vangenderen">{{cite journal|bibcode=1992A&A...257..177V|title=Light variations of massive stars (Alpha Cygni variables). XII - the photometric history of the G8Ia(+) hypergiant V766 CEN (= HR 5171A) during the years 1953-1991 and its interpretation|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=257|pages=177|author1=Van Genderen|first1=A. M.|year=1992}}</ref> Traditionally, it is considered as the largest known [[yellow hypergiant]] (maybe an early [[K-type star|K-type class]]),<ref>{{cite web|title=VLTI Revisits the Largest Yellow Hypergiant Ever Discovered|url=https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1740a/|website=www.eso.org|accessdate=2 October 2017}}</ref> although the latest research suggests it is a red supergiant with a slightly larger size of {{solar radius|1,490 ± 540}}.<ref name="wittkowski2017">{{cite journal|bibcode=2017A&A...597A...9W|arxiv=1610.01927|title=VLTI/AMBER spectro-interferometry of the late-type supergiants V766 Cen (=HR 5171 A), σ Oph, BM Sco, and HD 206859|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=597|pages=A9|author1=Wittkowski|first1=M.|last2=Arroyo-Torres|first2=B.|last3=Marcaide|first3=J. M.|last4=Abellan|first4=F. J.|last5=Chiavassa|first5=A.|last6=Guirado|first6=J. C.|year=2017|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201629349}}</ref>
|-
|[[SMC 18136]]|| 1,310<ref name="mc" />
| rowspan="20" | Red Supergiant (M)||  
| rowspan="20" |[[File:Betelgeuse at 68,842 AU.jpg|50x50px]]
| This would be the largest star in the [[Small Magellanic Cloud|SMC]].
|-
|HIP 22552
|1,300
|
|Probably the largest S-type star existant in the Milky Way
|-
| [[J004424.94+412322.3]]|| 1,300<ref name="andromeda">{{Cite journal|arxiv=0907.3767|title=Red Supergiants in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31)|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=703|pages=420|last1=Massey|first1=Philip|last2=Silva|first2=David R|last3=Levesque|first3=Emily M|last4=Plez|first4=Bertrand|last5=Olsen|first5=Knut A. G|last6=Clayton|first6=Geoffrey C|last7=Meynet|first7=Georges|last8=Maeder|first8=Andre|year=2009|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/703/1/420}}</ref>|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| Largest star in the [[Andromeda Galaxy]]
|-
| [[PZ Cassiopeiae]]|| 1,260-1,340,<ref name="Kusuno">{{Cite journal | last1 = Kusuno | first1 = K. | last2 = Asaki | first2 = Y. | last3 = Imai | first3 = H. | last4 = Oyama | first4 = T. | title = Distance and Proper Motion Measurement of the Red Supergiant, Pz Cas, in Very Long Baseline Interferometry H2O Maser Astrometry | doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/774/2/107 | journal = The Astrophysical Journal | volume = 774 | issue = 2 | pages = 107 | year = 2013 | pmid =  | pmc = | bibcode = 2013ApJ...774..107K | arxiv=1308.3580 }}</ref> 1,190-1,940<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| The largest estimate is due to an unusual K band measurement and thought to be an artifact of a reddening correction error.  The lowest estimate is consistent with other stars in the same survey and with theoretical models, and the intermediate ones have been obtained refining the distance to this star, and thus its parameters.
|-
| [[IRAS 5280-6910]]|| 1,260<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[WOH S341]]|| 1,258<ref name="vanloon" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 136042]]|| 1,240<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[BI Cygni]]|| 1,240<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| Mauron ''et al.'' 2011 derive {{solar luminosity|123,000}}, which implies a size around {{solar radius|916}}.<ref name="mauron" />
|-
| [[Westerlund 1]]-237 || 1,233<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[SMC 5092]]|| 1,220<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 175464]]|| 1,200<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 135720]]|| 1,200<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[IRC-10414]]''(RAFGL 2139)''|| 1,200<ref name="bsp">{{cite journal|bibcode=2014MNRAS.437..843G|title=IRC -10414: A bow-shock-producing red supergiant star|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society|volume=437|pages=843|author1=Gvaramadze|first1=V. V.|last2=Menten|first2=K. M.|last3=Kniazev|first3=A. Y.|last4=Langer|first4=N.|last5=MacKey|first5=J.|last6=Kraus|first6=A.|last7=Meyer|first7=D. M.-A.|last8=Kamiński|first8=T.|year=2014|doi=10.1093/mnras/stt1943|arxiv = 1310.2245 }}</ref>
|  || RAFGL 2139 is a rare red supergiant companion to [[WR 114]] that has a bow shock.
|-
| [[SMC 69886]]|| 1,190<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F05 || 1,177<ref name="Davies2008" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[EV Carinae]]|| 1,168<ref name="vanloon">{{cite journal|bibcode=2005A&A...438..273V|arxiv=astro-ph/0504379|title=An empirical formula for the mass-loss rates of dust-enshrouded red supergiants and oxygen-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch stars|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=438|pages=273|author1=Van Loon|first1=J. Th.|last2=Cioni|first2=M.-R. L.|last3=Zijlstra|first3=A. A.|last4=Loup|first4=C.|year=2005|doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20042555}}</ref>-2,880<ref name="dejager">{{Cite journal | bibcode=1988A&AS...72..259D | title=Mass loss rates in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram | journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series (ISSN 0365-0138) | volume=72 | pages=259 | author1=De Jager | first1=C | last2=Nieuwenhuijzen | first2=H | last3=Van Der Hucht | first3=K. A | year=1988 }}</ref>
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F03 || 1,168<ref name="Davies2008" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 119219]]|| 1,150<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F08 || 1,146<ref name="Davies2008" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[BC Cygni]]|| 1,140<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />-1,230<ref name="josselin">{{cite journal|doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20066353 |title=Atmospheric dynamics and the mass loss process in red supergiant stars |journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics |volume=469 |issue=2 |pages=671–680 |year=2007 |last1=Josselin |first1=E. |last2=Plez |first2=B. |bibcode=2007A&A...469..671J |arxiv = 0705.0266 }}</ref>
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| Other recent estimates range from {{solar radius|856}} to {{solar radius|1,553}}.<ref name="turner">{{cite journal|bibcode=2006PASP..118.1533T|title=The Long-Term Behavior of the Semiregular M Supergiant Variable BC Cygni|journal=The Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific|volume=118|issue=849|pages=1533|author1=Turner|first1=David G.|last2=Rohanizadegan|first2=Mina|last3=Berdnikov|first3=Leonid N.|last4=Pastukhova|first4=Elena N.|year=2006|doi=10.1086/508905}}</ref>
|-
|[[LBV 1806-20]]
|1,135<ref>https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6361%2F201628695</ref>
|Blue Hypergiant (O, LBV)
|L/T<sub>eff</sub>
|[[File:LBV 1806-20.svg|71x71px]]
|One candidate for the most luminous star in the Milky Way with a bolometric luminosity of up to two (or five) million solar luminosities.
|-
| [[J004035.08+404522.3]]|| 1,130<ref name="andromeda" />
| rowspan="15" |Red Supergiant (M)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| rowspan="15" |[[File:Betelgeuse at 68,842 AU.jpg|50x50px]]
| Localed in the [[Andromeda Galaxy]]
|-
| [[SMC 10889]]|| 1,130<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 141430]]|| 1,110<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[IRAS 04516-6902]]|| 1,100<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 175746]]|| 1,100<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F13 || 1,098<ref name="Davies2008">{{Cite journal | last1 = Davies | first1 = B. | last2 = Figer | first2 = D. F. | last3 = Law | first3 = C. J. | last4 = Kudritzki | first4 = R. P. | last5 = Najarro | first5 = F. | last6 = Herrero | first6 = A. | last7 = MacKenty | first7 = J. W. | doi = 10.1086/527350 | title = The Cool Supergiant Population of the Massive Young Star Cluster RSGC1 | journal = The Astrophysical Journal | volume = 676 | issue = 2 | pages = 1016–1028 | year = 2008 | pmid =  | pmc = |arxiv = 0711.4757 |bibcode = 2008ApJ...676.1016D }}</ref>|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[RT Carinae]]|| 1,090<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F04 || 1,082<ref name="Davies2008" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 174714]]|| 1,080<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 68125]]|| 1,080<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[SMC 49478]]|| 1,080<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[SMC 20133]]|| 1,080<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[Stephenson 2]]-49 || 1,074<ref name="Davies2007">{{Cite journal | last1 = Davies | first1 = B. | last2 = Figer | first2 = D. F. | last3 = Kudritzki | first3 = R. P. | last4 = MacKenty | first4 = J. | last5 = Najarro | first5 = F. | last6 = Herrero | first6 = A. | doi = 10.1086/522224 | title = A Massive Cluster of Red Supergiants at the Base of the Scutum‐Crux Arm | journal = The Astrophysical Journal | volume = 671 | pages = 781 | year = 2007 | pmid =  | pmc =| format = pdf | bibcode=2007ApJ...671..781D|arxiv = 0708.0821 }}</ref>|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[V396 Centauri]]|| 1,070<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[SMC 8930]]|| 1,070<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|- style="background:Orange;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Orbit of Jupiter]]|| 1,064–1,173
| ||  
| ||<small> Reported for reference </small>
|-
| [[HV 11423]]|| 1,060–1,220<ref name="massey">{{cite journal|bibcode=2007ApJ...660..301M|arxiv=astro-ph/0701769|title=HV 11423: The Coolest Supergiant in the SMC|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=660|pages=301|author1=Massey|first1=Philip|last2=Levesque|first2=Emily M.|last3=Olsen|first3=K. A. G.|last4=Plez|first4=Bertrand|last5=Skiff|first5=B. A.|year=2007|doi=10.1086/513182}}</ref>
|Orange Hypergiant (K)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| rowspan="22" |[[File:Betelgeuse at 68,842 AU.jpg|50x50px]]
| HV 11423 is variable in spectral type (observed from K0 to M5), thus probably also in diameter. In October 1978, it was a star of M0I type.
|-
| [[CK Carinae]]|| 1,060<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />
| rowspan="5" |Red Supergiant (M)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[SMC 25879]]|| 1,060<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 142202]]|| 1,050<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 146126]]|| 1,050<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 67982]]|| 1,040<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[U Lacertae]]|| 1,022<ref name="mauron" /><ref name="verhoelst">{{cite journal|bibcode=2009A&A...498..127V|title=The dust condensation sequence in red supergiant stars|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=498|pages=127|author1=Verhoelst|first1=T.|last2=Van Der Zypen|first2=N.|last3=Hony|first3=S.|last4=Decin|first4=L.|last5=Cami|first5=J.|last6=Eriksson|first6=K.|year=2009|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/20079063|arxiv = 0901.1262 }}</ref>
|VV Cephei-like binary star (M, B?)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F11 || 1,015<ref name="Davies2008" />
| rowspan="47" |Red Supergiant (M)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[W Persei]]|| 1,011<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 143877]]|| 1,010<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[KW Sagittarii]]|| 1,009<ref name="torres2013">{{cite journal
  |title=The atmospheric structure and fundamental parameters of the red supergiants AH Scorpii, UY Scuti, and KW Sagittarii
  |journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics
  |volume=554  |issue=A76 
  |pages=A76
  |date=June 2013
  |bibcode=2013A&A...554A..76A
  |doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201220920
|arxiv = 1305.6179 |last1=Arroyo-Torres
  |first1=B
  |last2=Wittkowski
  |first2=M
  |last3=Marcaide
  |first3=J. M
  |last4=Hauschildt
  |first4=P. H
  }}</ref>-1,460<ref name="levesqueetal2005">Table 4 in {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1086/430901 | title = The Effective Temperature Scale of Galactic Red Supergiants: Cool, but Not as Cool as We Thought | journal = The Astrophysical Journal | volume = 628 | issue = 2 | pages = 973 | year = 2005 | pmid =  | pmc = |arxiv = astro-ph/0504337 |bibcode = 2005ApJ...628..973L | last1 = Levesque | first1 = Emily M. | last2 = Massey | first2 = Philip | last3 = Olsen | first3 = K. A. G. | last4 = Plez | first4 = Bertrand | last5 = Josselin | first5 = Eric | last6 = Maeder | first6 = Andre | last7 = Meynet | first7 = Georges }}</ref>
| AD & L/T<sub>eff</sub>||[[Margin of error|Margin of possible error]]: {{solar radius|{{±|142}}}}.<ref name="torres2013" />
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F12 || 1,005<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[SMC 46497]]|| 990<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 140296]]|| 990<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F09 || 986<ref name="Davies2008" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[NR Vulpeculae]]|| 980<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[SMC 12322]]|| 980<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 177997]]|| 980<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[SMC 59803]]|| 970<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[Westerlund 1]]-20 || 965<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[GCIRS 7]]|| 960<ref name="paumard">{{cite journal |bibcode=2014A&A...568A..85P |arxiv=1406.5320|title=GCIRS 7, a pulsating M1 supergiant at the Galactic centre . Physical properties and age|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=568|pages=A85|author1=Paumard|first1=T|last2=Pfuhl|first2=O|last3=Martins|first3=F|last4=Kervella|first4=P|last5=Ott|first5=T|last6=Pott|first6=J.-U|last7=Le Bouquin|first7=J. B|last8=Breitfelder|first8=J|last9=Gillessen|first9=S|last10=Perrin|first10=G|last11=Burtscher|first11=L|last12=Haubois|first12=X|last13=Brandner|first13=W|year=2014|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201423991}}</ref>–1,000<ref name="pott">{{cite journal |title=First VLTI infrared spectro-interferometry on GCIRS 7|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=487|pages=413–418|authors=J.-U. Pott; A. Eckart; A. Glindemann; S. Kraus; R. Schöde; A. M. Ghez; J. Woillez; G. Weigelt|year=2008|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201423991}}</ref>|| AD || At the galactic center. [[Margin of error|Margin of possible error]]: {{solar radius|{{±|92}}}}<ref name="paumard" /> or {{solar radius|{{±|150}}}}<ref name="pott" />.
|-
| [[HV 2561]]|| 957<ref name="vanloon" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[SMC 50840]]|| 950<ref name="mc" />||  
| rowspan="5" |[[File:Betelgeuse at 68,842 AU.jpg|50x50px]]
|
|-
| [[HV 916]]|| 944<ref name="vanloon" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F10 || 931<ref name="Davies2008" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[S Cassiopeiae]]|| 930<ref name="Ramstedt2009">{{cite journal |author1=Ramstedt, S. |author2=Schöier, F. L. |author3=Olofsson, H. | title=Circumstellar molecular line emission from S-type AGB stars: mass-loss rates and SiO abundances | date=2009 | journal=[[Astronomy and Astrophysics]] | volume=499 | number=2 | bibcode=2009A&A...499..515R | doi=10.1051/0004-6361/200911730 | pages=515–527|arxiv = 0903.1672 }}</ref><ref name="Ramstedt">{{cite journal | title = Mass-loss properties of S-stars on the AGB | date = 2006 | journal = [[Astronomy and Astrophysics]] | volume = 454 | issue = 2 | pages = L103 | bibcode=2006A&A...454L.103R | author1 = Ramstedt | first1 = S. | last2 = Schöier | first2 = F. L. | last3 = Olofsson | first3 = H. | last4 = Lundgren | first4 = A. A. | doi = 10.1051/0004-6361:20065285 |arxiv = astro-ph/0605664 }}</ref>||  ||
|-
| [[IX Carinae]]|| 920<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[HV 2112]]|| 916<ref name="levesqueetal2014">{{Cite journal|title=Discovery of a Thorne-̇Żytkow object candidate in the Small Magellanic Cloud|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters|volume=443|pages=L94|author1-link=Emily Levesque|date=1 September 2014|arxiv=1406.0001|bibcode = 2014MNRAS.443L..94L |doi = 10.1093/mnrasl/slu080 |last1=Levesque|first1=Emily M.|last2=Massey|first2=P.|last3=Zytkow|first3=A. N.|last4=Morrell|first4=N.}}</ref>|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
|[[File:HV 2112 Photo.gif|50x50px]]
| Most likely candidate for a [[Thorne–Żytkow object|Thorne-Zytkow]] Object, although it may simply be an [[S-type star|S-type]], a red supergiant, or possibly a very luminous [[asymptotic giant branch|AGB]] star.
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F07 || 910<ref name="Davies2008" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| rowspan="34" |[[File:Betelgeuse viewed from 8au.jpg|50x50px]]
|
|-
| [[LMC 54365]]|| 900<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[IRAS 04498-6842]]|| 900<ref name="garcia">{{Cite journal|arxiv=0909.4391|last1=Garcia-Hernandez|first1=D. A|title=Rb-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch stars in the Magellanic Clouds|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=705|pages=L31–L35|last2=Manchado|first2=A|last3=Lambert|first3=D. L|last4=Plez|first4=B|last5=Garcia-Lario|first5=P|last6=D'Antona|first6=F|last7=Lugaro|first7=M|last8=Karakas|first8=A. I|last9=van Raai|first9=M|year=2009|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/705/1/L31}}</ref>-1,660<ref name="jonathan">{{Cite journal|arxiv=astro-ph/0410120|last1=Marshall|first1=Jonathan R|title=The AGB superwind speed at low metallicity|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society|volume=355|issue=4|pages=1348|last2=van Loon|first2=Jacco Th|last3=Matsuura|first3=Mikako|last4=Wood|first4=Peter R|last5=Zijlstra|first5=Albert A|last6=Whitelock|first6=Patricia A|year=2004|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.08417.x}}</ref>|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[HV 996]]|| 894<ref name="vanloon" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[NSV 25875]]|| 891<ref name="debeck" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 109106]]|| 890<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[HV 12501]]|| 890<ref name="vanloon" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F06 || 885<ref name="Davies2008" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[Stephenson 2]]-03 || 883<ref name="Davies2007" />–969<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 116895]]|| 880<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[SMC 30616]]|| 880<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 64048]]|| 880<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[IRAS 05558-7000]]|| 880<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[J013508.78+303639.9]]|| 874<ref name="triangulum" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| A [[yellow hypergiant]] localed in the [[Triangulum Galaxy]].
|-
| [[V437 Scuti]]|| 874<ref name="debeck" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[IRAS 04407-7000]]|| 870<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[IRAS 05329-6708]]|| 870<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[HV 986]]|| 867<ref name="vanloon" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[V602 Carinae]]|| 860<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />-1,050<ref name="torres2015">{{cite journal|bibcode=2015A&A...575A..50A|arxiv=1501.01560|title=What causes the large extensions of red supergiant atmospheres?. Comparisons of interferometric observations with 1D hydrostatic, 3D convection, and 1D pulsating model atmospheres|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=575|pages=A50|author1=Arroyo-Torres|first1=B.|last2=Wittkowski|first2=M.|last3=Chiavassa|first3=A.|last4=Scholz|first4=M.|last5=Freytag|first5=B.|last6=Marcaide|first6=J. M.|last7=Hauschildt|first7=P. H.|last8=Wood|first8=P. R.|last9=Abellan|first9=F. J.|year=2015|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201425212}}</ref>|| L/T<sub>eff</sub> & AD ||[[Margin of error|Margin of possible error]]: {{solar radius|{{±|165}}}}.<ref name="torres2015" />
|-
| [[J004047.82+410936.4]]|| 860<ref name="andromeda" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| Localed in the [[Andromeda Galaxy]]
|-
| [[J004428.71+420601.6]]|| 860<ref name="andromeda" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| Localed in the [[Andromeda Galaxy]]
|-
| [[V669 Cassiopeiae]]|| 859<ref name="debeck" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[HV 2360]]|| 857<ref name="vanloon" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[HV 5870]]|| 856<ref name="vanloon" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[SMC 55681]]|| 850<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[SMC 15510]]|| 850<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
|[[Iota Carinae|Aspidiske]] ''(Iota Carinae A)''
|850<ref name=":0" />
|White Supergiant (A)
|
|
|-
|[[LMC 61753]]|| 830<ref name="mc" />
| rowspan="9" |Red Supergiant (M)||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 62090]]|| 830<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[SMC 11709]]|| 830<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[V1185 Scorpii]]|| 830<ref name="debeck" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[AD Persei]]|| 812<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 142199]]|| 810<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[IRAS 05294-7104]]|| 810<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
|[[IRAS 05402-6956]]|| 800<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Betelgeuse viewed from 8au.jpg|50x50px]]
|
|-
| [[LMC 134383]]|| 800<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
|[[Eta Carinae|Eta Carinae A]] ''(Tseen She)''|| 800<ref name="gull">{{Cite journal | last1 = Gull | first1 = T. R. | last2 = Damineli | first2 = A. | doi =10.1017/S1743921310009890 | title = JD13 – Eta Carinae in the Context of the Most Massive Stars | journal = Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union | volume = 5 | pages = 373 | year = 2010 |arxiv = 0910.3158 |bibcode = 2010HiA....15..373G }}</ref>
|Blue Hypergiant (O, LBV)
|  
|[[File:EtaCarinae.jpg|50x50px]]
| Previously thought to be the most massive single star, but in 2005 it was realized to be a binary system. During the [[Great Eruption]], it was {{solar radius|1,400}}.<ref name="smith2011">{{cite journal |bibcode=2011MNRAS.415.2020S|title=Explosions triggered by violent binary-star collisions: Application to Eta Carinae and other eruptive transients|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society|volume=415|issue=3|pages=2020|author1=Smith|first1=Nathan|year=2011|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.18607.x|arxiv = 1010.3770 }}</ref> Older estimates gives {{solar radius|85–195}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://etacar.umn.edu/etainfo/basic/ |title=The HST Treasury Program on Eta Carinae |publisher=Etacar.umn.edu |date=2003-09-01 |accessdate=2017-11-05}}</ref>
|-
|[[J013508.78+303639.9]]|| 799<ref name="triangulum" />
| rowspan="7" | Red Supergiant (M)|| L/T<sup>eff 
| rowspan="8" |[[File:Betelgeuse viewed from 8au.jpg|50x50px]]
| A [[yellow hypergiant]] localed in the [[Triangulum Galaxy]].
|-
| [[V441 Persei]]|| 799<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[BU Persei]]|| 795<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[IRAS 05298-6957]]|| 790<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[BO Carinae]]|| 790<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 142907]]|| 790<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[J004359.94+411330.9]]|| 785<ref name="andromeda" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| Localed in the [[Andromeda Galaxy]]
|-
|[[S Persei]]|| 780<ref name="levesqueetal2005" /> - 2,853<ref>http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1988A&AS...72..259D</ref>
|Red Hypergiant (M)
| AD &  L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| A [[red hypergiant]] localed in the Perseus [[Double Cluster]]. A large radius of {{solar radius|1,230}} is due to an unusual [[K band (infrared)|K band]] measurement and thought to be an artifact of a reddening correction error.
|-
| [[SU Persei]]|| 780<ref name="levesqueetal2005" /> 
| rowspan="11" |Red Supergiant (M)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| rowspan="4" |[[File:The Double Cluster.jpg|50x50px]]
| In the Perseus [[Double Cluster]]
|-
|[[Antares|Antares A]] ''(Alpha Scorpii A)''|| 776<ref name="howbigisthatstar">https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/educators/lessons/star_size/star_dimensions_worksheet.html</ref>-800<ref>https://www.aavso.org/vsots_alphasco</ref> (vary by 165<ref name="Pecaut" />)
| 
| Antares A is red supergiant containing two spots on its surface.<ref>https://www.skymania.com/wp/see-supergiant-star-antares-close-first-time-ever/</ref> Older estimates have given radii above {{Solar radius|850}},<ref name="pugh">{{Cite journal|last=Pugh|first=T.|last2=Gray|first2=D. F.|date=2013-02-01|title=On the Six-year Period in the Radial Velocity of Antares A|url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013AJ....145...38P|journal=The Astronomical Journal|volume=145|issue=2|pages=38|doi=10.1088/0004-6256/145/2/38|issn=0004-6256|bibcode=2013AJ....145...38P}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Baade|first=R.|last2=Reimers|first2=D.|date=2007-10-01|title=Multi-component absorption lines in the HST spectra of alpha Scorpii B|url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007A%26A...474..229B|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=474|pages=229–237|doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20077308|issn=0004-6361|bibcode=2007A&A...474..229B}}</ref> but some are likely to have been affected by asymmetry of the atmosphere and the narrow range of infrared wavelengths observed.<ref name="ohnaka2013" /><!--Other recent estimates range from {{solar radius|653}}<ref name="Astronomy and Astrophysics">{{Cite journal|author=A. Richichi|date=April 1990|title=A new accurate determination of the angular diameter of Antares|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=230|issue=2|pages=355–362|bibcode= 1990A&A...230..355R}}</ref> to {{solar radius|1,246}}.<ref name="HIPPARCOS">{{Cite journal|date=July 1997|title=The HIPPARCOS Catalogue|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=323|issue=|pages=L49–L52|bibcode= 1997A&A...323L..49P|author1=Perryman|first1=M. A. C|last2=Lindegren|first2=L|last3=Kovalevsky|first3=J|last4=Hoeg|first4=E|last5=Bastian|first5=U|last6=Bernacca|first6=P. L|last7=Crézé|first7=M|last8=Donati|first8=F|last9=Grenon|first9=M|last10=Grewing|first10=M|last11=Van Leeuwen|first11=F|last12=Van Der Marel|first12=H|last13=Mignard|first13=F|last14=Murray|first14=C. A|last15=Le Poole|first15=R. S|last16=Schrijver|first16=H|last17=Turon|first17=C|last18=Arenou|first18=F|last19=Froeschlé|first19=M|last20=Petersen|first20=C. S}}</ref> value not in the paper, presumably calculated in some way? -->
|-
| [[RS Persei]]|| 770<ref name="baron2014">{{cite journal|bibcode=2014ApJ...785...46B|arxiv = 1405.4032|title = CHARA/MIRC Observations of Two M Supergiants in Perseus OB1: Temperature, Bayesian Modeling, and Compressed Sensing Imaging|journal = The Astrophysical Journal|volume = 785|pages = 46|author1 = Baron|first1 = F.|last2 = Monnier|first2 = J. D.|last3 = Kiss|first3 = L. L.|last4 = Neilson|first4 = H. R.|last5 = Zhao|first5 = M.|last6 = Anderson|first6 = M.|last7 = Aarnio|first7 = A.|last8 = Pedretti|first8 = E.|last9 = Thureau|first9 = N.|last10 = Ten Brummelaar|first10 = T. A.|last11 = Ridgway|first11 = S. T.|last12 = McAlister|first12 = H. A.|last13 = Sturmann|first13 = J.|last14 = Sturmann|first14 = L.|last15 = Turner|first15 = N.|year = 2014|doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/785/1/46}}</ref>-1,000<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />
| AD & L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| In the Perseus [[Double Cluster]]. [[Margin of error|Margin of possible error]]: {{solar radius|{{±|30}}}}.<ref name="baron2014" />
|-
| [[AV Persei]]|| 770<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| In the Perseus [[Double Cluster]]
|-
|[[J004124.80+411634.7]]|| 760<ref name="andromeda" />
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| rowspan="5" |[[File:Betelgeuse viewed from 8au.jpg|50x50px]]
| Localed in the [[Andromeda Galaxy]]
|-
| [[V915 Scorpii]]|| 760<ref name="stickland">{{cite journal|bibcode=1985Obs...105..229S|title=IRAS observations of the cool galactic hypergiants|journal=The Observatory|volume=105|pages=229|author1=Stickland|first1=D. J.|year=1985}}</ref><ref name="odenwald">{{cite journal|bibcode=1986ApJ...307..711O|title=An IRAS survey of IR excesses in G-type stars|journal=Astrophysical Journal|volume=307|pages=711|author1=Odenwald|first1=S. F.|year=1986|doi=10.1086/164456}}</ref>
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| 
|-
| [[S Cephei]]|| 760<ref name="CHARM2">{{cite journal | author = Richichi, A.; Percheron, I.; Khristoforova, M. | title = CHARM2: An updated Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements | year = 2005 | journal = Astronomy and Astrophysics | volume = 431 | number = 4 | pages = pp. 773–777 | url = http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-out.add=.&-source=J/A%2bA/431/773/charm2&recno=2142}}</ref>
| AD ||
|-
| [[YZ Persei]]|| 758<ref name="thomas" />
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[J004447.08+412801.7]]|| 755<ref name="andromeda" />
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| Localed in the [[Andromeda Galaxy]]
|-
|[[UY Scuti]]
|755<ref>https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6361%2F201833051</ref>
|
|
|
|-
|[[GP Cassiopeiae]]|| 751<ref name="thomas" />
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
|[[File:Betelgeuse viewed from 8au.jpg|50x50px]]||
|- style="background:Grey;" class="sortbottom"
| Outer limits of the [[asteroid belt]]|| 750–900
|
|  
| ||<small> Reported for reference </small>
|-
|[[SMC 11939]]|| 750<ref name="mc" />
| rowspan="2" |Red Supergiant (M)
|  
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Betelgeuse viewed from 8au.jpg|50x50px]]
|
|-
| [[HD 303250]]|| 750<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[V382 Carinae]]|| 747<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/carina-constellation/|title=Carina Constellation: Facts, Myth, Star Map, Major Stars, Deep Sky Objects {{!}} Constellation Guide|website=www.constellation-guide.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-10-28}}</ref>
|Yellow Hypergiant (G)
|  
|[[File:V382 Carinae.jpg|50x50px]]
| The brightest [[yellow hypergiant]] in the night sky, one of the rarest types of star. Achmad ''et al.'' 1992 calculates {{solar radius|600}} to {{solar radius|1,100}} or {{solar radius|700 ± 250}}.<ref name="achmad">{{cite journal|title=A photometric study of the G0-4 Ia(+) hypergiant HD 96918 (V382 Carinae)|author=Achmad, L.|journal=[[Astronomy and Astrophysics]]|volume=259|pages=600–606|year=1992|bibcode=1992A&A...259..600A}}</ref>
|-
| [[Stephenson 2]]-23 || 743<ref name="Davies2007" />
| rowspan="15" | Red Supergiant (M)|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| rowspan="8" |[[File:Betelgeuse viewed from 8au.jpg|50x50px]]
|
|-
| [[RU Virginis]]|| 740<ref name="Bergeat">{{cite journal| author1 = Bergeat, J. |author2= Chevallier, L.| title = The mass loss of C-rich giants| year = 2005| journal = [[Astronomy and Astrophysics]]| volume = 429|pages= 235| number = | id = pp. 235-246| bibcode = 2005A&A...429..235B |doi= 10.1051/0004-6361:20041280|arxiv = astro-ph/0601366 }}</ref>|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[LMC 137818]]|| 740<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[SMC 48122]]|| 740<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[Stephenson 2]]-09 || 736<ref name="Davies2007" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[IRAS 04545-7000]]|| 730<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[IRAS 05003-6712]]|| 730<ref name="jonathan" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[SMC 56732]]|| 730<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
|[[Betelgeuse]] (''Alpha Orionis'')
|730<ref>https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6361%2F201116962</ref>
|
|[[File:Betelgeuse captured by ALMA.jpg|50x50px]]
|Decreased in size and luminosity during early 2020; currently rebrightening.<ref>http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=13512</ref>
|-
|[[KK Persei]]|| 724<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| rowspan="6" |[[File:Betelgeuse viewed from 8au.jpg|50x50px]]||
|-
| [[V648 Cassiopeiae]]|| 710<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[XX Persei]]|| 710<ref name="fok">{{cite journal|bibcode=2012ApJ...760...65F|arxiv=1209.6427|title=Maser Observations of Westerlund 1 and Comprehensive Considerations on Maser Properties of Red Supergiants Associated with Massive Clusters|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=760|pages=65|author1=Fok|first1=Thomas K. T.|last2=Nakashima|first2=Jun-Ichi|last3=Yung|first3=Bosco H. K.|last4=Hsia|first4=Chih-Hao|last5=Deguchi|first5=Shuji|year=2012|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/760/1/65}}</ref>|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>|| Located in the Perseus [[Double Cluster]] and near the border with [[Andromeda (constellation)|Andromeda]].
|-
| [[Stephenson 2]]-04 || 710<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[TV Geminorum]]|| 620-710<ref name="wasatonic">{{cite journal|bibcode=2015PASP..127.1010W|title=V-Band, Near-IR, and TiO Photometry of the Semi-Regular Red Supergiant TV Geminorum: Long-Term Quasi-Periodic Changes in Temperature, Radius, and Luminosity|journal=Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific|volume=127|issue=956|pages=1010|author1=Wasatonic|first1=Richard P.|last2=Guinan|first2=Edward F.|last3=Durbin|first3=Allyn J.|year=2015|doi=10.1086/683261}}</ref> (–770)<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[Mercer 8]]-06 || 708<ref name="thomas" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[HD 179821]]|| 704<ref name="hawkins">{{cite journal|bibcode=1995ApJ...452..314H|title=Discovery of an Extended Nebula around AFGL 2343 (HD 179821) at 10 Microns|journal=Astrophysical Journal |volume=452|pages=314|author1=Hawkins|first1=G. W|last2=Skinner|first2=C. J|last3=Meixner|first3=M. M|last4=Jernigan|first4=J. G|last5=Arens|first5=J. F|last6=Keto|first6=E|last7=Graham|first7=J. R|year=1995|doi=10.1086/176303}}</ref>
|Yellow Hypergiant (A)
|  
|[[File:Yellow dwarf.jpg|50x50px]]
| A [[yellow hypergiant]], although most authors consider it as a supergiant, a [[protoplanetary nebula]] or a post-[[Asymptotic giant branch|AGB]] star with a luminosity of only {{solar luminosity|16,000}}.
|-
| [[J004255.95+404857.5]]|| 700<ref name="andromeda" />
| rowspan="5" |Red Supergiant (M)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
| rowspan="5" |[[File:Betelgeuse viewed from 8au.jpg|50x50px]]
| Localed in the [[Andromeda Galaxy]]
|-
| [[LMC 169754]]|| 700<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[LMC 65558]]|| 700<ref name="mc" />||  ||
|-
| [[V528 Carinae]]|| 700<ref name="levesqueetal2005" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
| [[RSGC1]]-F14 || 700<ref name="Davies2008" />|| L/T<sub>eff</sub>||
|-
! colspan="6" | The following well-known stars are listed for the purpose of comparison.
|-
|[[Pi1 Gruis|Pi<sup>1</sup> Gruis]]|| 694<ref name="sacuto" />
|Red Giant (N)
| AD 
|[[File:The surface of the red giant star π1 Gruis from PIONIER on the VLT.jpg|50x50px]]
| A [[red giant]] that contains giant bubbles on its surface.<ref>{{cite web|title=Giant Bubbles on Red Giant Star’s Surface|url=https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1741/|website=www.eso.org|accessdate=21 December 2017}}</ref>
|-
| [[VY Canis Majoris]]<ref name="massey2006" />|| 600<ref name="massey2006">{{cite journal | last1 = Massey | first1 = Philip | last2 = Levesque | first2 = Emily M. | last3 = Plez | first3 = Bertrand | title = Bringing VY Canis Majoris down to size: an improved determination of its effective temperature | journal = The Astrophysical Journal | volume = 646 | issue = 2 | pages = 1203–1208 | date = 1 August 2006 |arxiv=astro-ph/0604253 | doi = 10.1086/505025 | bibcode=2006ApJ...646.1203M}}</ref>
|Red Hypergiant (M)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
|[[File:VY Canis Majoris.jpg|50x50px]]|| Based on Massey ''et al'' model, where the star would be a normal supergiant rather than a hypergiant, although most estimates give much larger sizes (see above). <small> Reported for reference </small>
|-
| [[CE Tauri]]<!--''("Ruby Star")''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050415160013/http://www.astroscience.org:80/abdul-ahad/ruby-star.htm]</ref>{{Better source}}--> || 587–593<ref name="montarges">{{cite arxiv|eprint=1802.06086|last1=Montargès|first1=M|title=The convective photosphere of the red supergiant CE Tau. I. VLTI/PIONIER H-band interferometric imaging|last2=Norris|first2=R|last3=Chiavassa|first3=A|last4=Tessore|first4=B|last5=Lèbre|first5=A|last6=Baron|first6=F|class=astro-ph.SR|year=2018}}</ref> (–608<ref>http://www.newforestobservatory.com/2012/07/02/the-second-reddest-star-in-the-sky-119-tauri-ce-tauri/</ref>)
|Red Supergiant (M)
| AD 
|[[File:119 Tauri map (english).png|50x50px]]
| Second reddest star in the night sky.<ref name="groups.google.com" /> Can be occulted by the Moon, allowing accurate determination of its apparent diameter.
|-
| [[R Leporis]] ''(Hind's "Crimson Star")''|| 400<ref name="hofmann">{{cite journal|bibcode=2005ESASP.560..651H|title=Interferometric observations of the Mira star o Ceti with the VLTI/VINCI instrument in the near-infrared|journal=Proceedings of the 13th Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars|volume=560|pages=651|author1=Hofmann|first1=K.-H.|last2=Eberhardt|first2=M.|last3=Driebe|first3=T.|last4=Schertl|first4=D.|last5=Scholz|first5=M.|last6=Schoeller|first6=M.|last7=Weigelt|first7=G.|last8=Wittkowski|first8=M.|last9=Woodruff|first9=H. C.|year=2005}}</ref>–535<ref name="kalerhind">{{citation | first1=James B. | last1=Kaler | title=Hind's Crimson Star | work=Stars | publisher=University of Illinois | url=http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/hinds.html | accessdate=2018-03-19 }}</ref>
|Red Giant (M)
|  
|[[File:Lepus constellation map complemented.png|50x50px]]
|[[Margin of error|Margin of possible error]]: {{solar radius|{{±|90}}}}.<ref name="hofmann" />
|-
|[[IRC +10216|CW Leonis]]|| 500<ref name="men">{{cite journal | authors= A. B. Men'shchikov1, Y. Balega, T. Blöcker, R. Osterbart, and G.Weigelt| title=Structure and physical properties of the rapidly evolving dusty envelope of IRC +10216 reconstructed by detailed two-dimensional radiative transfer modeling | journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics| volume=392 | issue=3 | pages=921 |year=2001 | doi = 10.1051/0004-6361:20020954| arxiv=astro-ph/0206410| bibcode=2002A&A...392..921M}}</ref>–700<ref name="aaa333_L51">{{citation | display-authors=1 | last1=Weigelt | first1=G. | last2=Balega | first2=Y. | last3=Bloecker | first3=T. | last4=Fleischer | first4=A. J. | last5=Osterbart | first5=R. | last6=Winters | first6=J. M. | title=76mas speckle-masking interferometry of IRC+10216 with the SAO 6m telescope: Evidence for a clumpy shell structure | journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics | volume=333 | pages=L51–L54 |date=May 1998 | bibcode=1998A&A...333L..51W |arxiv = astro-ph/9805022}}</ref>
|Red Giant (M)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub>
|[[File:CW Leonis big melt.jpg|63x63px]]
| CW Leonis is one of the mistaken identities as the claimed planet "[[Nibiru cataclysm|Nibiru]]" or "[[Planet X]]", due to its brightness as it approaches 1st magnitude. Other estimates range from {{solar radius|390}}<ref name="men" /> to {{solar radius|826}}<ref name="debeck">{{cite journal|bibcode=2010A&A...523A..18D|arxiv=1008.1083|title=Probing the mass-loss history of AGB and red supergiant stars from CO rotational line profiles. II. CO line survey of evolved stars: Derivation of mass-loss rate formulae|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=523|pages=A18|author1=De Beck|first1=E.|last2=Decin|first2=L.|last3=De Koter|first3=A.|last4=Justtanont|first4=K.|last5=Verhoelst|first5=T.|last6=Kemper|first6=F.|last7=Menten|first7=K. M.|year=2010|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/200913771}}</ref>.
|-
|[[Rho Cassiopeiae]]|| 400-500<ref name="gorlova">{{Cite journal | last1 = Gorlova | first1 = N. | last2 = Lobel | first2 = A. | last3 = Burgasser | first3 = A. J. | last4 = Rieke | first4 = G. H. | last5 = Ilyin | first5 = I. | last6 = Stauffer | first6 = J. R. | doi = 10.1086/507590 | title = On the CO Near‐Infrared Band and the Line‐splitting Phenomenon in the Yellow Hypergiant ρ Cassiopeiae | journal = The Astrophysical Journal | volume = 651 | issue = 2 | pages = 1130–1150 | year = 2006 | pmid =  | pmc = |arxiv = astro-ph/0607158 |bibcode = 2006ApJ...651.1130G }}</ref>
|Yellow Hypergiant (F)
|  
|[[File:Rho Cassiopeiae Sol VY Canis Majoris.png|50x50px]]
|[[Yellow hypergiant]], one of the rarest types of a star.
|-<!--
| [[Dark star (dark matter)|Dark Star]]'s lower limit (hypothetical) || 430<ref name=Siegel>{{cite press release|url=http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-12/uou-wtf113007.php|date=2 Dec 2007|first=Lee|last=Siegel|publisher=[[University of Utah]]| title=Were the first stars dark?}}</ref> || || A hypothetical type of star that is an enormous cloud of hydrogen and helium with a surface temperature low enough that the emitted radiation would be invisible to the naked eye.<br/> <small> Reported for reference </small>-->
|-
| [[Mira|Mira A]] ''(Omicron Ceti)'' || 332–402<ref name=aaa421>{{cite journal | last=Woodruff | first=H. C. |last2=Eberhardt |first2=M. | last3=Driebe | first3=T. | last4=Hofmann | first4=K.-H. | last5=Ohnaka | first5=K. | last6=Richichi | first6=A. | last7=Schert | first7=D. | last8=Schöller | first8=M. | last9=Scholz | first9=M. | last10=Weigelt | first10=G. | last11=Wittkowski | first11=M. | last12=Wood | first12=P. R. |display-authors=4
| title=Interferometric observations of the Mira star o Ceti with the VLTI/VINCI instrument in the near-infrared | journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics | date=2004 | volume=421 | issue=2 | pages=703–714 | doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20035826 | bibcode=2004A&A...421..703W |arxiv = astro-ph/0404248 }}</ref> 
|Red Giant (M)
| AD 
|[[File:RedGiantMiraAndHotCompanion.jpg|62x62px]]
| Prototype [[Mira variable]]. De beck ''et al.'' 2010 calculates {{solar radius|541}}.<ref name=debeck/>
|-
| [[V766 Centauri|HR 5171 Ab]] || 312–401<ref name="chesneau" />, {{nowrap|650 ± 150}}<ref name="wittkowski092017" /> 
|Yellow Hypergiant (G)
| AD 
|[[File:HR 5171A.jpg|50x50px]]
| The [[yellow hypergiant]] companion of HR 5171 A.
|-
| [[V509 Cassiopeiae]] || 400–900<ref name=hr8752>{{cite journal|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201117166|title=The hypergiant HR 8752 evolving through the yellow evolutionary void|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=546|pages=A105|year=2012|last1=Nieuwenhuijzen|first1=H.|last2=De Jager|first2=C.|last3=Kolka|first3=I.|last4=Israelian|first4=G.|last5=Lobel|first5=A.|last6=Zsoldos|first6=E.|last7=Maeder|first7=A.|last8=Meynet|first8=G.|bibcode=2012A&A...546A.105N}}</ref> 
|Yellow Hypergiant (G)
|  
|[[File:HD 69830 (Celestia).jpg|50x50px]]
|[[Yellow hypergiant]], one of the rarest types of a star.
|-style="background:Grey;" class="sortbottom"
| Inner limits of the [[asteroid belt]] || 380 
| ||  
| ||<small> Reported for reference </small>
|-
| [[S Doradus]]|| 100-380<ref name="lamers1995">{{cite conference | last=Lamers | first=H. J. G. L. M. | contribution=Observations and Interpretation of Luminous Blue Variables | title=Proceedings of IAU Colloquium 155, Astrophysical applications of stellar pulsation | journal=Astrophysical applications of stellar pulsation. Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series | volume=83 | pages=176–191 | date=February 6–10, 1995 | location=Cape Town, South Africa | publisher=Astronomical Society of the Pacific | bibcode=1995ASPC...83..176L }}</ref>
|Blue Hypergiant (B, LBV)
|  
|[[File:Lbv.png|50x50px]]
| Prototype [[Luminous Blue Variable|S Doradus variable]], even though [[P Cygni]] was the first discovered.
|-
| [[R Doradus]]|| 370 ± 50<ref name="mnras286_4_957">{{citation | display-authors=1 | last1=Bedding | first1=T. R. | author1-link = Tim Bedding | last2=Zijlstra | first2=A. A. | last3=von der Luhe | first3=O. | last4=Robertson | first4=J. G. | last5=Marson | first5=R. G. | last6=Barton | first6=J. R. | last7=Carter | first7=B. S. | title=The angular diameter of R Doradus: a nearby Mira-like star | journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | volume=286 | issue=4 | pages=957–962 | date=April 1997 | bibcode=1997MNRAS.286..957B | arxiv=astro-ph/9701021 | doi=10.1093/mnras/286.4.957}}</ref>
|Red Giant (M)
|  
|[[File:R Doradus ESO.jpg|50x50px]]
| Star with the second largest apparent size after the Sun.
|-style="background:Grey;" class="sortbottom"
| Tail of Comet [[Hyakutake]] || 360 
| ||  
| ||<small>Reported for reference</small>
|-
| [[Pistol Star|The Pistol Star]] || 340<ref name=najarro>{{Cite journal | last1 = Najarro | first1 = F. | last2 = Figer | first2 = D. F. | last3 = Hillier | first3 = D. J. | last4 = Geballe | first4 = T. R. | last5 = Kudritzki | first5 = R. P. | title = Metallicity in the Galactic Center: The Quintuplet Cluster | doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/691/2/1816 | journal = The Astrophysical Journal | volume = 691 | issue = 2 | pages = 1816 | year = 2009 | pmid =  | pmc = |arxiv = 0809.3185 |bibcode = 2009ApJ...691.1816N }}</ref> 
|Blue Hypergiant (B)
|  
|[[File:Pistol star and nebula (labeled).jpg|50x50px]]
| Blue [[hypergiant]], among the most massive and luminous stars known.
|-
| [[La Superba]] ''(Y Canum Venaticorum)'' || 307<ref name=debeck/>-390<ref name=luttermoser>{{cite journal|bibcode=1992ApJ...384..634L|title=A VLA 3.6 centimeter survey of N-type carbon stars|journal=Astrophysical Journal|volume=384|pages=634|author1=Luttermoser|first1=Donald G.|last2=Brown|first2=Alexander|year=1992|doi=10.1086/170905}}</ref> 
|Red Giant (N)
| L/T<sub>eff</sub> 
|[[File:Y Canum Venaticorum.jpg|50x50px]]
| Referred to as ''La Superba'' by [[Angelo Secchi]]. Currently one of the [[List of coolest stars|coolest]] and reddest stars.
|-style="background:red;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Orbit of Mars]] ||  297–358 
| ||  
| ||<small>Reported for reference</small>
|-
| [[Alpha Herculis]] ''(Ras Algethi)'' || 284 ± 60<ref name=moravveji>{{cite journal|bibcode=2013AJ....146..148M|arxiv=1308.1632|title=The Age and Mass of the α Herculis Triple-star System from a MESA Grid of Rotating Stars with 1.3 <= M/M ⊙ <= 8.0|journal=The Astronomical Journal|volume=146|issue=6|pages=148|author1=Moravveji|first1=Ehsan|last2=Guinan|first2=Edward F.|last3=Khosroshahi|first3=Habib|last4=Wasatonic|first4=Rick|year=2013|doi=10.1088/0004-6256/146/6/148}}</ref> 
|Red Giant (M)
|  
|[[File:Hercules. Constelación.png|50x50px]]
| Moravveji ''et al.'' 2013 also gives a range from {{solar radius|264}} to {{solar radius|303}}. At an estimated distance of 110 pc and an angular diameter of 34 [[Arcsecond|mas]], this corresponds to a radius of {{solar radius|400 ± 61}}.<ref name=moravveji/>
|-style="background:#FFBF81;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Future of the sun|Sun's red giant phase]] || 256<ref name="Rybicki2001" >{{cite journal | author = Rybicki, K. R. | author2 = Denis, C. | title = On the Final Destiny of the Earth and the Solar System | journal = Icarus | volume = 151 | issue = 1 | pages = 130–137 | date = 2001 | doi = 10.1006/icar.2001.6591 | bibcode = 2001Icar..151..130R }}</ref> 
| ||  
|[[File:Sun Red Giant.jpg|50x50px]]
| The core hydrogen would be exhausted in 5.4 billion years. In 7.9 billion years, The Sun would reach the tip of the red-giant branch of the [[Hertzsprung–Russell diagram]]. (see below)<br/> <small> Reported for reference </small>
|-style="background:Blue;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Orbit of Earth|<span style="color: white">Orbit of Earth</span>]] || [[Astronomical unit|<span style="color: white">215</span>]]<span style="color: white"> (211–219)</span> 
| ||  
| ||<span style="color: white"><small>Reported for reference</small></span>
|-
| [[Deneb]] ''(Alpha Cygni)'' || 203 ± 17<ref name=schiller>{{cite journal |last1=Schiller |first1=F. |last2=Przybilla |first2=N. |date=2008 |title=Quantitative spectroscopy of Deneb |journal=[[Astronomy & Astrophysics]] |volume=479 |issue=3 |pages=849–858 |arxiv=0712.0040 |bibcode=2008A&A...479..849S |doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20078590}}</ref> 
|Blue Supergiant (A)
|  
|[[File:Deneb Sun comparison small.png|50x50px]]
| Prototype [[Alpha Cygni variable]].
|- style="background:Lime;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Solar System Habitable Zone]] || 200–520<ref name=rk-2017>{{cite journal |title=A Volcanic Hydrogen Habitable Zone |last=Ramirez |first=Ramses |date=2017 |arxiv=1702.08618|last2=Kaltenegger |first2=Lisa |class=astro-ph.EP |doi=10.3847/2041-8213/aa60c8 |volume=837 |pages=L4 |journal=The Astrophysical Journal Letters|bibcode=2017ApJ...837L...4R}}</ref> (uncertain) 
| ||  
| ||<small>Reported for reference </small>
|-style="background:Gold;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Orbit of Venus]] || 154–157 
| ||  
| ||<small>Reported for reference</small>
|-
| [[Epsilon Aurigae|Epsilon Aurigae A]] ''(Almaaz)'' || 143-358<ref name=kloppenborg>{{cite journal|bibcode=2015ApJS..220...14K|arxiv=1508.01909|title=Interferometry of ɛ Aurigae: Characterization of the Asymmetric Eclipsing Disk|journal=The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series|volume=220|pages=14|author1=Kloppenborg|first1=B.K.|last2=Stencel|first2=R.E.|last3=Monnier|first3=J.D.|last4=Schaefer|first4=G.H.|last5=Baron|first5=F.|last6=Tycner|first6=C.|last7=Zavala|first7=R. T.|last8=Hutter|first8=D.|last9=Zhao|first9=M.|last10=Che|first10=X.|last11=Ten Brummelaar|first11=T. A.|last12=Farrington|first12=C.D.|last13=Parks|first13=R.|last14=McAlister|first14=H. A.|last15=Sturmann|first15=J.|last16=Sturmann|first16=L.|last17=Sallave-Goldfinger|first17=P.J.|last18=Turner|first18=N.|last19=Pedretti|first19=E.|last20=Thureau|first20=N.|year=2015|doi=10.1088/0067-0049/220/1/14}}</ref> 
|Yellow Supergiant (F)
|  
|[[File:Epsilon Aurigae.jpg|50x50px]]
| ε Aur was incorrectly claimed in 1970 as the largest star with a size between {{solar radius|2,000}} and {{solar radius|3,000}},<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rcgyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Mu0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=793,4107018|title=Ask Andy: The Biggest Star|accessdate=}}</ref> even though it later turned out not to be an ''infrared light star'' but rather a dusk torus surrounding the system.
|-
| [[WR 102ka|Peony Star]] || 92<ref name="barniske">{{Cite journal | last1 = Barniske | first1 = A. | last2 = Oskinova | first2 = L. M. | last3 = Hamann | first3 = W. -R. | doi = 10.1051/0004-6361:200809568 | title = Two extremely luminous WN stars in the Galactic center with circumstellar emission from dust and gas | journal = Astronomy and Astrophysics | volume = 486 | issue = 3 | pages = 971 | year = 2008 | pmid =  | pmc = |arxiv = 0807.2476 |bibcode = 2008A&A...486..971B }}</ref> 
|Blue Hypergiant (W)
|  
|[[File:Peony Nebula Star.jpg|63x63px]]
| Candidate for the most luminous star in the [[Milky Way]].
|-
|[[Aldebaran]] ''(Alpha Tauri)''|| (44.13 ± 0.84-)<ref name="aaa526_A100">{{cite journal | title=Surface convection and red-giant radius measurements | journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics | volume=526 | page=A100 |date=February 2011 | doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201014442 | bibcode=2011A&A...526A.100P | arxiv=1010.3649 | last1=Piau | first1=L | last2=Kervella | first2=P | last3=Dib | first3=S | last4=Hauschildt | first4=P }}</ref> 87<ref name="howbigisthatstar3" />
|Red Giant (K)
| AD
|[[File:Aldebaran-Sun comparison-ca.svg|50x50px]]
|
|-
| [[Rigel|Rigel A]] ''(Beta Orionis A)'' || 78.9<ref name=apj2012_747_108>{{cite journal | last1=Moravveji | first1=Ehsan | last2=Guinan | first2=Edward F. | last3=Shultz | first3=Matt | last4=Williamson | first4=Michael H. | last5=Moya | first5=Andres | title=Asteroseismology of the nearby SN-II Progenitor: Rigel. Part I. The ''MOST'' High-precision Photometry and Radial Velocity Monitoring | journal=The Astrophysical Journal | volume=747 | issue=1 | pages=108–115 |date=March 2012 | doi=10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/108 | bibcode=2012ApJ...747..108M |arxiv = 1201.0843 }}</ref>–115<ref name="Chesneau 2014">{{cite journal|last1=Chesneau|first1=O.|last2=Kaufer|first2=A.|last3=Stahl|first3=O.|last4=Colvinter|first4=C.|last5=Spang|first5=A.|last6=Dessart|first6=L.|last7=Prinja|first7=R.|last8=Chini|first8=R.|date=2014|title=The variable stellar wind of Rigel probed at high spatial and spectral resolution|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=566|id=A125 |pages=18|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201322894 |bibcode=2014A&A...566A.125C|arxiv = 1405.0907 }}</ref> 
|Blue Supergiant (B)
|  
|[[File:Rigel blue supergiant.jpg|50x50px]]
|[[Margin of error|Margin of possible error]]: {{solar radius|{{±|7.4}}}}.<ref name=apj2012_747_108/>
|-
| [[Canopus]] ''(Alpha Carinae)'' || 71 ± 4<ref name=vlti/> 
|Yellow Supergiant (F)
|  
|[[File:Vela and Surrounding Constellations (ground-based image).jpg|63x63px]]
| Second brightest star in the night sky.
|-style="background:Grey;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Orbit of Mercury]] || 66–100 
| ||  
| ||<small>Reported for reference</small>
|-
| [[Polaris]] ''(Alpha Ursae Minoris)'' ||37.5<ref name=fadeyev>{{cite journal|bibcode=2015MNRAS.449.1011F |arxiv=1502.06463|doi = 10.1093/mnras/stv412 |title=Evolutionary status of Polaris|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society|volume=449|pages=1011|year=2015|last1=Fadeyev|first1=Y. A.}}</ref> 
|Yellow Supergiant (F)
|  
|[[File:Polaris alpha ursae minoris.jpg|50x50px]]
| The current northern [[pole star]].
|-
| [[R136a1]] || 28.8<ref name=hainich>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1051/0004-6361/201322696| title = The Wolf–Rayet stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud| journal = Astronomy & Astrophysics| volume = 565| pages = A27| year = 2014| last1 = Hainich | first1 = R.| last2 = Rühling | first2 = U.| last3 = Todt | first3 = H.| last4 = Oskinova | first4 = L. M.| last5 = Liermann | first5 = A.| last6 = Gräfener | first6 = G.| last7 = Foellmi | first7 = C.| last8 = Schnurr | first8 = O.| last9 = Hamann | first9 = W. -R. | arxiv = 1401.5474| bibcode = 2014A&A...565A..27H}}</ref>–35.4<ref name=arxiv>{{Cite journal |last1=Crowther |first1=P. A. |last2=Schnurr |first2=O. |last3=Hirschi |first3=R. |last4=Yusof |first4=N. |last5=Parker |first5=R. J. |last6=Goodwin |first6=S. P. |last7=Kassim |first7=H. A.  |year=2010 |title=The R136 star cluster hosts several stars whose individual masses greatly exceed the accepted 150 M<sub>⊙</sub> stellar mass limit |journal=[[Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society]] |volume=408 |issue=2 |pages=731 |arxiv=1007.3284 |bibcode=2010MNRAS.408..731C |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17167.x  }}</ref> 
|Blue Hypergiant (W)
|  
|[[File:R136a1.jpg|50x50px]]
| Also on record as the most massive and luminous star known ({{solar mass|265 - 315}} and {{solar luminosity|8.71 million}}).
|-
| [[Arcturus]] ''(Alpha Boötis)'' || 25.4 ± 0.2<ref name=ramirez_prieto_2011>{{Cite journal|bibcode=2011ApJ...743..135R|title=Fundamental Parameters and Chemical Composition of Arcturus|journal=[[The Astrophysical Journal]]|volume=743|issue=2|pages=135|date=December 2011 |author=I. Ramírez|author2=C. Allende Prieto|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/743/2/135|arxiv = 1109.4425 }}</ref> 
|Red Giant (K)
|  
|[[File:Arcturus-star.jpg|50x50px]]
| Brightest star in the northern hemisphere.
|-
| [[Cygnus X-1|HDE 226868]] || 20-22<ref name=MNRAS358_3_851>{{citation | last=Ziółkowski | first=J. | title=Evolutionary constraints on the masses of the components of HDE&nbsp;226868/Cyg&nbsp;X-1 binary system | journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | date=2005 | volume=358 | issue=3 | pages=851–859 | arxiv=astro-ph/0501102 | doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.08796.x | bibcode=2005MNRAS.358..851Z}} Note: for radius and luminosity, see Table 1 with ''d''=2&nbsp;kpc.</ref> 
|Blue Supergiant (O)
|  
|[[File:Cygnus X-1.png|50x50px]]
| The supergiant companion of black hole Cygnus X-1. The black hole is 500,000 times smaller than the star.
|-
|[[Albireo]] Aa
|16
|Yellow Giant (K)
|
|[[File:NewAlbireo.jpg|50x50px]]
|Primary giant star of a star system.
|-
|[[VV Cephei B]]|| 13<ref name="wright1977">{{cite journal|bibcode=1977JRASC..71..152W|title=The system of VV Cephei derived from an analysis of the H-alpha line|journal=Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada|volume=71|pages=152|author1=Wright|first1=K. O.|year=1977}}</ref>-25<ref name="hack">{{cite journal|bibcode=1992A&AS...95..589H|title=Spectroscopic study of the atmospheric eclipsing binary VV Cephei|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series (ISSN0365-0138)|volume=95|pages=589|author1=Hack|first1=M.|last2=Engin|first2=S.|last3=Yilmaz|first3=N.|last4=Sedmak|first4=G.|last5=Rusconi|first5=L.|last6=Boehm|first6=C.|year=1992}}</ref>
|Blue Main-Sequence Star (B)
| 
|[[File:VV Cephei eclipsing binary B front (german).png|50x50px]]
| The B-type main sequence companion of VV Cephei A.
|-style="background:#FFE3C2;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Sun]]'s [[Sun#Life phases|helium burning phase]] || 10 
|???
|  
| || After the red-giant branch the Sun has approximately 120 million years of active life left.<br/> <small> Reported for reference </small>
|-
|[[Pollux]] ''(Beta Geminorum)''
|8
|Orange Subgiant (K)
|
|[[File:Pollux-Sun comparison.png|50x50px]]
|
|-
|[[Sirius]] ''(Alpha Canis Majoris)''
|1.711
|White Main-Sequence Star (A)
|
|[[File:Sirius A and B Hubble photo.jpg|50x50px]]
|
|-style="background:#FFF5ED;" class="sortbottom"
| [[Sun]] || 1 
|Yellow dwarf (G)
|  
|[[File:The Sun by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory - 20100819.jpg|50x50px]]
| The largest object in the [[Solar System]].<br/> <small> Reported for reference </small>
|}
===Timeline of largest star recordholders===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Star
! Size ({{solar radius}})
!Current given radius
({{Solar radius}})
!Date
! class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
|[[VY Canis Majoris]]
| colspan="2" |2,100
|2016—........
|
|-
|{{nowrap|[[UY Scuti]]}}
| 1,708 ± 192<ref name="torres20132" />
|916 - 1,708 ± 192
|2014—2016
|[[Margin of error]] in size determination: ± 192 solar radii. With its smallest value, its size would be smaller than the upper estimate of [[V354 Cephei]] (1,520) with 1,516 solar radii. With its larger value, its size would be similar to [[VV Cephei A]]'s maximum size with 1,900 solar radii.
|-
|{{nowrap|[[Westerlund 1-26]]}}
|2,550<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201116990|title=A VLT/FLAMES survey for massive binaries in Westerlund 1|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=531|pages=A28|year=2011|last1=Clark|first1=J. S.|last2=Ritchie|first2=B. W.|last3=Negueruela|first3=I.|last4=Crowther|first4=P. A.|last5=Damineli|first5=A.|last6=Jablonski|first6=F. J.|last7=Langer|first7=N.|bibcode=2011A&A...531A..28C}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|arxiv=1209.6427v1|author1=Fok|author2=Jun-ichi Nakashima|author3=Yung|author4=Chih-Hao Hsia|author5=Shuji Deguchi|title=Maser Observations of Westerlund 1 and Comprehensive Considerations on   Maser Properties of Red Supergiants Associated with Massive Clusters|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=760|pages=65|year=2012|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/760/1/65|bibcode=2012ApJ...760...65F}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/200913820|title=A serendipitous survey for variability amongst the massive stellar population of Westerlund 1|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=514|pages=A87|year=2010|last1=Clark|first1=J. S.|last2=Ritchie|first2=B. W.|last3=Negueruela|first3=I.|bibcode=2010A&A...514A..87C}}</ref>
| 1,530 - 2,550
|2013&mdash;2014
|Very uncertain parameters for an unusual star with strong radio emission.  The spectrum is variable but apparently the luminosity is not.
|-
|{{nowrap|[[NML Cygni]]}}
|2,775<ref name="zhang2">{{Cite journal | last1 = Zhang | first1 = B. | last2 = Reid | first2 = M. J. | last3 = Menten | first3 = K. M. | last4 = Zheng | first4 = X. W. | last5 = Brunthaler | first5 = A. | year = 2012 | title = The distance and size of the red hypergiant NML Cygni from VLBA and VLA astrometry | journal = Astronomy & Astrophysics | volume = 544 | pages = A42 | arxiv = 1207.1850| bibcode = 2012A&A...544A..42Z| doi = 10.1051/0004-6361/201219587  }}</ref>
| 1,640 (1,183-2,770)
|2012&mdash;2013
| 
|-
|{{nowrap|[[VY Canis Majoris]]}}
| colspan="2" | 2,100
|2007&mdash;2012
|
|-
|{{nowrap|[[VV Cephei A]]}}
| colspan="2" |1,900<ref name="Kaler">{{cite web |title=VV CEP (VV Cephei)|publisher=University of Illinois|author=Professor James B. (Jim) Kaler|url=http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/vvcep.html|accessdate=2010-03-15
}}</ref> <ref group="foot" name="uncertain">Size, mass and luminosity estimates of the VV Cephei system are all considerably uncertain due to insufficient knowledge: Professor Kaler writes "in truth we really do not know". Its distance cannot be measured from parallax, instead it is derived from its assumed membership in the Cepheus OB2 [[Stellar association#Stellar associations|association]], but this is also not certain. Other methods give a range of sizes between 1,000 and 2,200 that of the Sun, but these too are confounded by the fact that the star is not spherical, which leads to overestimates. (J. Kaler)</ref>
|1998&mdash;2007
| VV Cep A is a highly distorted star in a binary system, losing mass to its B-type companion VV Cephei B for at least part of its orbit.
|-
|[[R Cassiopeiae]]
|1,800
|263–310, 500
|2009
|
|-
|{{nowrap|[[Betelgeuse]]}}<ref>https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/uy-scuti-everything-to-know-about-biggest-star-in-the-universe/</ref>
|~1,180<ref name="SMITH2009">{{cite journal |author1=Smith, Nathan |author2=Hinkle, Kenneth H. |author3=Ryde, Nils | title=Red Supergiants as Potential Type IIn Supernova Progenitors: Spatially Resolved 4.6 μm CO Emission Around VY CMa and Betelgeuse | journal=The Astronomical Journal |date=March 2009 | volume=137 | issue=3 | pages=3558–3573 | arxiv=0811.3037 | doi=10.1088/0004-6256/137/3/3558 | bibcode=2009AJ....137.3558S}}</ref><ref name="dolan20162">{{cite journal|doi=10.3847/0004-637X/819/1/7|arxiv=1406.3143v2|title=Evolutionary Tracks for Betelgeuse|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=819|pages=7|year=2016|last1=Dolan|first1=Michelle M.|last2=Mathews|first2=Grant J.|last3=Lam|first3=Doan Duc|last4=Lan|first4=Nguyen Quynh|last5=Herczeg|first5=Gregory J.|last6=Dearborn|first6=David S. P.|bibcode = 2016ApJ...819....7D }}</ref>
|950
|2001
|
|-
|{{nowrap|[[Mu Cephei]]}}
| colspan="2" | 1,420
|1970&mdash;1998
|
|-
|{{nowrap|[[Epsilon Aurigae]] A & B}}
|3,000
| 143 - 358
|........&mdash;1970
|For instance, apparently Epsilon Aurigae was hailed as the largest known star, incorrectly attributed to being a star, in 1970.
|-
| colspan="5" |'''Largest known yellow stars:'''
|-
|[[HR 5171]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25207-largest-ever-yellow-star-is-1300-times-bigger-than-sun/|title=Largest ever yellow star is 1300 times bigger than sun|work=New Scientist|access-date=2017-10-05|language=en-US}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |1,315 <u>+</u> 260,<ref name="chesneau2">{{cite journal|author1=Chesneau|first1=O.|last2=Meilland|first2=A.|last3=Chapellier|first3=E.|last4=Millour|first4=F.|last5=Van Genderen|first5=A. M.|last6=Nazé|first6=Y.|last7=Smith|first7=N.|last8=Spang|first8=A.|last9=Smoker|first9=J. V.|year=2014|title=The yellow hypergiant HR 5171 A: Resolving a massive interacting binary in the common envelope phase|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=563|pages=A71|arxiv=1401.2628v2|bibcode=2014A&A...563A..71C|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201322421|last10=Dessart|first10=L.|last11=Kanaan|first11=S.|last12=Bendjoya|first12=Ph.|last13=Feast|first13=M. W.|last14=Groh|first14=J. H.|last15=Lobel|first15=A.|last16=Nardetto|first16=N.|last17=Otero|first17=S.|last18=Oudmaijer|first18=R. D.|last19=Tekola|first19=A. G.|last20=Whitelock|first20=P. A.|last21=Arcos|first21=C.|last22=Curé|first22=M.|last23=Vanzi|first23=L.}}</ref> 1,490 <u>+</u> 540<ref name="wittkowski2">{{cite journal|author1=Wittkowski|first1=M.|last2=Arroyo-Torres|first2=B.|last3=Marcaide|first3=J. M.|last4=Abellan|first4=F. J.|last5=Chiavassa|first5=A.|last6=Guirado|first6=J. C.|year=2017|title=VLTI/AMBER spectro-interferometry of the late-type supergiants V766 Cen (=HR 5171 A), σ Oph, BM Sco, and HD 206859|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=597|pages=A9|arxiv=1610.01927|bibcode=2017A&A...597A...9W|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201629349}}</ref>
|2014—......
|The star's real status is disputed. The upper estimate given by Wittowski ''et al'' gives a cool temperature, giving it the classification of a red supergiant.
|-
|[[V382 Carinae]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://darky-face.deviantart.com/art/V382-Carinae-245310785|title=V382 Carinae|website=DeviantArt|access-date=2017-10-05}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |747
|........&mdash;2014
|
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[Constellation]]
* [[Lists of stars]]
* [[List of most massive stars]]
* [[List of most luminous stars]]
* [[List of hottest stars]]
* [[List of coolest stars]]
* [[List of most massive black holes]]
* [[List of largest nebulae]]
* [[List of largest galaxies]]
* [[List of largest cosmic structures]]
* [[List of largest exoplanets]]
* [[List of star extremes]]
* [[Quasi-star]], a hypothetical type of star having a size of {{convert|35000|solar radius|au|abbr=on|lk=on}}
* [[Dark star (dark matter)]], a hypothetical type of star having a size of {{convert|2-1000|au|solar radius|abbr=on|lk=on}}


==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name=sacuto>{{cite journal|author=Sacuto, S.|display-authors=4|author2=Jorissen, A.|author3=Cruzalèbes, P.|author4=Chesneau, O.|author5=Ohnaka, K.|author6=Quirrenbach, A.|author7=Lopez, B.|date=2008|title=The close circumstellar environment of the semi-regular S-type star π 1 Gruis|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=482|issue=2|pages=561–74 | bibcode=2008A&A...482..561S|arxiv=0803.3077 |doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20078306}}</ref>

<ref name=ohnaka2013>{{cite journal|bibcode=2013A&A...555A..24O|arxiv=1304.4800|title=High spectral resolution imaging of the dynamical atmosphere of the red supergiant Antares in the CO first overtone lines with VLTI/AMBER|journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics|volume=555|pages=A24|author1=Ohnaka|first1=K|last2=Hofmann|first2=K.-H|last3=Schertl|first3=D|last4=Weigelt|first4=G|last5=Baffa|first5=C|last6=Chelli|first6=A|last7=Petrov|first7=R|last8=Robbe-Dubois|first8=S|year=2013|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201321063}}</ref>

<ref name=vlti>{{cite journal|last1=Cruzalebes|first1=P.|last2=Jorissen|first2=A.|last3=Rabbia|first3=Y.|last4=Sacuto|first4=S.|last5=Chiavassa|first5=A.|last6=Pasquato|first6=E.|last7=Plez|first7=B.|last8=Eriksson|first8=K.|last9=Spang|first9=A.|last10=Chesneau|first10=O.|title=Fundamental parameters of 16 late-type stars derived from their angular diameter measured with VLTI/AMBER|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society|volume=434|issue=1|year=2013|pages=437–450 |doi=10.1093/mnras/stt1037 |bibcode=2013MNRAS.434..437C|arxiv = 1306.3288 }}</ref>

<ref name=eikenberry>{{cite journal|doi=10.1086/422180|title=Infrared Observations of the Candidate LBV 1806‐20 and Nearby Cluster Stars|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=616|pages=506|year=2004|last1=Eikenberry|first1=S. S.|last2=Matthews|first2=K.|last3=Lavine|first3=J. L.|last4=Garske|first4=M. A.|last5=Hu|first5=D.|last6=Jackson|first6=M. A.|last7=Patel|first7=S. G.|last8=Barry|first8=D. J.|last9=Colonno|first9=M. R.|last10=Houck|first10=J. R.|last11=Wilson|first11=J. C.|last12=Corbel|first12=S.|last13=Smith|first13=J. D.|bibcode=2004ApJ...616..506E|arxiv = astro-ph/0404435 }}</ref>

<ref name="largest">According to [https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2013/11/aa21683-13/aa21683-13.html Alcolea ''et al.'' 2013's paper], VY Canis Majoris is claimed as the largest known star, although the paper quotes the size given by Wittkowski ''et al.''. Older estimates have given much larger sizes like {{solar radius|1,800–2,100}} (given by [https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0610433 Humphreys ''et al.'' 2006]) based on older distance (1.5 [[parsec|kpc]]) and luminosity ({{solar luminosity|>400,000}}) estimates, but most of them are obsolete comparing to distance (<1.2 kpc) and luminosity ({{solar luminosity|~300,000}}) estimates from 2008 and 2012. Since VY CMa has been described as "the largest known star" according to Alcolea ''et al.'' 2013's paper, it is currently at the top with a quoted size of approximately {{convert|2200|solar radius|km au|lk=on}}, which was derived from the luminosity of {{solar luminosity|350,000}} and a low possible temperature of 3,000 [[Kelvin|K]] that have been given by Choi ''et al.'' 2008 {{nowrap|(<math>\sqrt{(5772/3000)^4 * 350,000} = 2190\ R\odot</math>)}}, although the newer size given by Wittkowski ''et al.'' was still included in the list for comparison. </ref>

<ref name="Pecaut">{{Cite journal|author=Mark J. Pecaut|author2=Eric E. Mamajek|author3=Eric J. Bubar|last-author-amp=yes|date=February 2012|title=A Revised Age for Upper Scorpius and the Star Formation History among the F-type Members of the Scorpius-Centaurus OB Association|journal=Astrophysical Journal|volume=746|issue=2|pages=154|arxiv = 1112.1695 |bibcode = 2012ApJ...746..154P |doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/746/2/154 }}</ref>

<ref name=triangulum>{{Cite journal|arxiv=1203.0247|last1=Drout|first1=Maria R|title=The Yellow and Red Supergiants of M33|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=750|issue=2|pages=97|last2=Massey|first2=Philip|last3=Meynet|first3=Georges|year=2012|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/97}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
* [http://www.giant-stars.de/ Giant Stars] An interactive website comparing the Earth and the Sun to some of the largest known stars
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4164365.stm Three largest stars identified] BBC News
* [http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/06/what-is-the-biggest-star-in-the-universe/ What is the Biggest Star in the Universe?] Universe Today

{{Top 10 largest stars}}

[[Category:Hypergiants]]
[[Category:Supergiants]]
[[Category:Lists of stars|Largest]]
[[Category:Lists of superlatives in astronomy|Stars, largest]]
[[Category:Lists]][[Category:Astronomy]]
{{Source Wikipedia}}