Located about 550 light-years from Earth, Antares is one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye. If placed in our solar system, it would stretch out beyond the orbit of Mars, possibly reaching Jupiter. Despite its distance, Antares shines brightly due to its immense size and scorching surface temperature. While its visual light appears about 10,000 times that of our Sun, a significant portion of its energy is emitted in the infrared spectrum, making its true luminosity around 100,000 times solar.
Antares is nearing the end of its stellar life. Having exhausted the hydrogen fuel at its core, it is now in a stage of fusing heavier elements. This instability causes its brightness to fluctuate slightly, making it a semiregular variable star. Antares is also shedding mass at a prodigious rate, puffing out a vast dusty nebula that can be seen with telescopes.
Here are some additional key points about Antares:
Spectral type: M1.5Iab-Ib (red supergiant)
Distance: 550 light-years
Constellation: Scorpius
Magnitude: 0.6 – 1.6 (variable)
Antares is a fascinating object for astronomers, offering insights into the dramatic final stages of massive stars. Its impending supernova will leave behind a neutron star or black hole, and the surrounding nebula will be sculpted into new and wondrous shapes.