Uploaded July 2012 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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The most massive star observed (so far) is 100 million times heavier than Earth and has the unremarkable name of R136a1. It's found in the equally impressive but better-named Tarantula Nebula (aka 30 Doradus or NGC 2070).

Professor Paul Crowther is based at the University of Sheffield.

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