Even though we see stars every day, twinkling in the night sky, they never fail to fascinate scientists and ordinary observers alike. Here are the 5 largest stars in the universe in terms of mass, size, and luminosity.



5 Pistol Star 25,000 light-years from the Earth





Among the most radiant stars in the whole Milky Way galaxy, the Pistol Star measures between 80 to 150 solar masses, which means that its mass is roughly 80 to 150 times greater than that of our Sun.

First discovered in 1991 with the aid of the Hubble Space Telescope, this blue hypergiant was the most massive known star before the discovery of R136a1. The energy that it radiates in a matter of only 20 seconds is equal to what our sun does in a year.

It is, furthermore, believed to be 10 million times more luminous than the Sun. The Pistol Star is 25,000 light-years from the Earth and has a diameter that is significantly larger than the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.