Red supergiant star DFK 52 is a member of the star cluster Stephenson 2. (IMAGE)

Chalmers University of Technology

Red supergiant star DFK 52 is a member of the star cluster Stephenson 2.

Caption

Red supergiant star DFK 52 is a member of the star cluster Stephenson 2. In this image, the brightest stars are all supergiants, and all members of the cluster. This image is made from data taken with the Spitzer Space Telescope in light much redder than our eyes can see (wavelengths 3.6, 4.5, 5.8 and 8 micrometres). Despite its remarkable bubble, too small to see in this image, DFK 52 is not unusually bright. The bright star in the lower left is another red supergiant, known as DFK 1 or Stephenson 2-18. It may be one of the largest stars known.

Credit

NASA/JPL-Caltech/IPAC

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