Westerlund 1-20 (abbreviated to Wd 1-20 or just W20) is a red supergiant (RSG) located in the Westerlund 1 super star cluster. Its radius was calculated to be around 965 solar radii[1] (6.72 × 108 km, 4.48 au), making it one of the largest stars discovered so far. This corresponds to a volume 899 million times bigger than the Sun. If placed at the center of the Solar System, the photosphere of Westerlund 1-20 would almost reach the orbit of Jupiter.
Westerlund 1-20 compared to the other 3 RSGs in the Westerlund 1 star cluster.
Red supergiant located in the Westerlund 1 super star cluster
Westerlund 1-20
Westerlund 1 super star cluster. The location of Wd 1-20 is circled. Credit: ESO
The star is classified as a luminous cool supergiant emitting most of its energy in the infrared spectrum.[6] W20 occupies the upper right corner of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. Using the effective temperature of 3,500 K,[1] the bolometric luminosity of 126,000 L☉[1] and the solar effective temperature of 5,772 K,[7] its radius can be calculated using the Stefan-Boltzmann law.[lower-alpha 1]
Westerlund 1-20 was observed to have an extended, cometary shaped nebula, similar to the other red supergiant Westerlund 1-26. It is therefore likely that its morphology was affected by either the intracluster medium or the cluster wind of Westerlund 1.[8] The nebulae of both Westerlund 1-20 and Westerlund 1-26 are extended outward from the cluster core and most bright at inward direction, indicating the outward cluster wind.[9]
Fok, Thomas K. T.; Nakashima, Jun-Ichi; Yung, Bosco H. K.; Hsia, Chih-Hao; Deguchi, Shuji (2012). "Maser Observations of Westerlund 1 and Comprehensive Considerations on Maser Properties of Red Supergiants Associated with Massive Clusters". The Astrophysical Journal. 760 (1): 65. arXiv:1209.6427. Bibcode:2012ApJ...760...65F. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/760/1/65. S2CID53393926.
Westerlund, B. E. (1987). "Photometry and spectroscopy of stars in the region of a highly reddened cluster in Ara". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series. 70: 311. Bibcode:1987A&AS...70..311W.
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