Astronomers Capture First Detailed Images of Bubbling Gas on R Doradus, 350x Diameter of Sun

Sep 11, 2024, 03:34 PM

Astronomers have captured the most detailed images ever of a star other than the Sun, revealing the motion of bubbling gas on its surface. The star, R Doradus, is a red supergiant with a diameter 350 times that of the Sun. These groundbreaking images were obtained using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in July and August 2023. This achievement marks the first time that astronomers have been able to track the movement of gas on the surface of another star in such detail. R Doradus is located 178 light years away and features bubbles 75 times the size of our Sun.