Astronomy / Space Monster Star Is Master Of The Universe

Sir.Tj

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Sir.Tj
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DraQ

D
T.j said:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Star-320-Times-Bigger-Than-The-Sun-Found-Massive-R136a1-Revolutionises-Astronomical-Thinking/Article/201007315668243?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_3&lid=ARTICLE_15668243_Star_320_Times_Bigger_Than_The_Sun_Found%3A_Massive_R136a1_Revolutionises_Astronomical_Thinking
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In an unlikely case that I ever end up in a position of absolute power, can someone please remind me to order immediate execution of any and all semi-literate "journalists" who can't report on even the most basic and readily understandable scientific fact without distorting it into an incoherent, incomprehensible mess?

First, it's about 320 times more massive (or heavier) than Sun, not larger.
It's only 35 or so times larger, which isn't a big deal - VY Canis Majoris has diameter about 2000 times that of Sol.
Now, being 320 times larger wouldn't be a big deal, but being 320 times more massive is. Of course, 320 is supposed to be star's mass at the moment it was born, now it's estimated to have slimmed up to "mere" 265 which is still pretty 'whoa.'.

Second, the moron who penned that article is clearly incapable of grasping the difference between our solar system and the entire galaxy, as evidenced by this baffling fragment:
If the enormous star replaced the Sun in our galaxy, it would outshine it to the same degree as the Sun outshines the full Moon and reduce the Earth's year to just three weeks, the scientists claim.
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Which adds up and sort of makes sense if and only if we replace the "galaxy" with "solar system" in the text.
 
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