Stars · Hypergiant

WOH G64

160,000 light-years · Light crosses it in 2 hours

Across

2.1 billion km

Vs Earth

14 AU across

Mass

25 Suns

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In the app, WOH G64 is part of the Beyond pack.

About

WOH G64 is a hypergiant in the Large Magellanic Cloud, wrapped in a thick cocoon of dust it has thrown off. In 2024 it became the first star outside our galaxy to be imaged close up.

The first star outside our galaxy ever photographed up close, in 2024.

At a glance

Distance	160,000 light-years
Radius	Around 1,500 Suns
Galaxy	Large Magellanic Cloud
Imaged	2024, VLT Interferometer

Did you know

1. The image revealed an egg-shaped cocoon of dust around it, a sign it is shedding mass fast.
2. It has dimmed markedly over the last decade, suggesting rapid change.
3. It is a strong candidate to explode as a supernova in astronomical terms — soon.

Real photo

• WOH G64 — the first close-up image of a star in another galaxy, VLT Interferometer 2024 — ESO/K. Ohnaka et al. (CC BY 4.0) · source