List of stars with resolved images
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The following is a list of stars with resolved images, that is, stars whose images have been resolved beyond a point source. Aside from the Sun, observed from Earth, stars are exceedingly small in apparent size, requiring the use of special high-resolution equipment and techniques to image. For example, Betelgeuse, the first star other than the Sun to be resolved, has an angular diameter of only 50 milliarcseconds (mas).
List
| Star | Image | Diameter | Distance (ly) | First imager | Year | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angular (mas) | Geometric (R☉) | ||||||
| Sun | 1930000±30000 | 1 | 0.0000158 | Louis Fizeau and Léon Foucault | 1845 | ||
| Altair α Aql | 3.2 | 1.66±0.01 (polar) 2.02±0.01 (equator) | 16.77±0.08 | CHARA array – MIRC | 2006 | ||
| Rasalhague α Oph A | 1.62±0.03 | 2.39±0.01 (polar) 2.87±0.02 (equator) | 48.6±0.8 | CHARA array – MIRC | 2006 | ||
| Alderamin α Cep | 1.35±0.02 (polar) 1.75±0.03 (equator) | 2.20±0.04 (polar) 2.74±0.04 (equator) | 48.8±0.36 | CHARA array – MIRC | 2006 | ||
| Caph β Cas | 1.70±0.04 | 3.1±0.1 (polar) 3.8±0.1 (equator) | 54.7±0.3 | CHARA array – MIRC | 2007 | ||
| Regulus α Leo Aa | 1.24±0.02 | 3.2±0.1 (polar) 4.2±0.1 (equator) | 79.3±0.7 | CHARA array – MIRC | 2008 | ||
| Algol β Per Aa1 | 0.88±0.05 | 4.13 | 93±2 | CHARA array – MIRC | 2006 | stationary object in the animation | |
| β Per Aa2 | 1.12±0.07 | 3 | orbiting object in the animation | ||||
| β Per Ab | 0.56±0.10 | 0.9 | Observed radius of Algol Ab is an instrumental artifact, caused by bandwidth smearing. Actual radius is 1.73 ± 0.33 R☉. | ||||
| Alkaid η UMa | 0.834±0.060 | 2.86±0.21 | 103.9±0.8 | CHARA array | 2012 | ||
| σ Gem A | 2.425 | 10.1±0.4 | 126±2 | CHARA array/MIRC | 2011 | The star contains starspots on its surface | |
| Markab α Peg | 1.052±0.066 | 4.62±0.29 | 133±1 | CHARA array | 2012 | ||
| Elnath β Tau | 1.09±0.076 | 4.82±0.34 | 134±2 | CHARA array | 2012 | ||
| ζ And Aa | 2.502±0.008 | 15.0±0.8 (polar) | 189±3 | CFHT | 1996 | First direct imaging of starspots on a star outside the Solar System. | |
| R Dor | 57±5 | 370±50 | 204±9 | New Technology Telescope | 1993 | 2nd largest known star by apparent diameter in Earth's sky, after the Sun. | |
| Mira ο Cet A | 28.9–34.9 | 332–402 | 420 | Hubble – FOC | 1997 | ||
| Polaris α UMi Aa | 3.143±0.027 | 46.27±0.42 | 446±1 | CHARA array | 2024 | ||
| T Lep | 5.8 15 for molecular layer | 100 | 500 | Very Large Telescope – VLTI/AMBER | 2009 | ||
| π1 Gru | 21 | 370 | 535 | Very Large Telescope – VLTI/PIONIER | 2017 | First directly observed granulation patterns on a star's surface outside the Solar System. | |
| Antares α Sco A | 41.3±0.1 | 680 | 553 | Very Large Telescope – VLTI/AMBER | 2017 | ||
| R Car | 10.23±0.05–13.77±0.14 | 400–540 | 590±40 | Very Large Telescope – PIONIER | 2014 | ||
| Betelgeuse α Ori | 50 | 640–764 | 643±146 | Hubble – GHRS | 1995 | First star with a resolved image outside the Solar System. | |
| Sheliak β Lyr Aa | 0.46 | 6 | 960±50 | CHARA array – MIRC | 2007 | Both Aa1 and Aa2 are visible in the animation. | |
| R Scl | 8.9±0.3 | 355±55 | 1180±140 | Very Large Telescope – AMBER | 2017 | ||
| θ1 Ori C | 0.2 | 10.6±1.5 | 1400 | Very Large Telescope – AMBER | 2009 | In the image, the right inset is θ1 Ori C and the left inset is θ1 Ori F. | |
| θ1 Ori F | Very Large Telescope – VLTI/GRAVITY | 2016 | |||||
| ε Aur | 2.22±0.10 | 143–358 | 2000–4800 | CHARA array – MIRC | 2009 | Supergiant with an eclipsing companion surrounded by a massive, opaque debris disk | |
| AZ Cyg | 4.05±0.01 | 911+57 −50 | 6820+420 −380 | CHARA array – MIRC | 2011 | ||
| SU Per | 3.53±0.09 | 1044+31 −21–1139+34 −23 | 7,250+470 −420 | CHARA array | 2015 | ||
| ρ Cas | 2.09±0.02 | 564-700 | 8150±1630 | CHARA array | 2024 | ||
| RW Cep | 2.45 | 1100±44 | 11000+4600 −2600–22000+5200 −3300 | CHARA array – MIRC-X and MYSTIC | 2022 | Hypergiant star currently undergoing a great dimming event | |
| HR 5171 Aa | 4.1±0.8 | 1060–1160 | 11740±1630 | Very Large Telescope – VLTI/PIONIER | 2014 | Eclipsing and potential contact binary yellow hypergiant | |
| WOH G64 | 800 | ca. 160 000 | Very Large Telescope – VLTI/GRAVITY | 2024 | Star is in the Large Magellanic Cloud. First resolved image of star outside of the Milky Way. | ||
| V602 Carinae | 1,015 | Very Large Telescope – VLTI/PIONIER | 2022 |
See also
- Doppler imaging which produces maps of the surfaces of stars
- Zeeman–Doppler imaging which maps the magnetic fields of stars
- List of directly imaged exoplanets
- Angular resolution
- Angular diameter
- List of nearest stars