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B90 is believed to be one of the largest, most luminous red supergiants in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Its luminosity was first measured to be of more than 280,000 solar luminosities and a radius of around 1,390 solar radii,[8] although a more detailed study put it at 209,000 L☉ and 1,210 R☉.[3]
Mass-loss
The star has episodic mass-loss with a high rate of 4.4+5.1 −1.7×10−6M☉ yr−1 and a nebula of ~1 pc (~3 ly) surrounding the star. This nebula could indicate that the star has a bow shock, which supplies evidence that the star does undergo episodic mass-loss, which makes it more likely that this is the case for almost all red supergiants.
The variability of the star and possible "great dimming" events are also consistent with episodic mass-loss, similar to those of Betelgeuse and RW Cephei. The rebrightening of B90, just like RW Cephei, took twice as long as that of Betelgeuse which could indicate a relation between the time taken and the radius of red supergiants, where B90 is 1,000 R☉ – 1,210 R☉.[3][a]
Velocity
B90 has a very high velocity of (19 – 27) ± 11 km s−1 towards its nebular bar, therefore proving that it is a "walkaway" star. This potentially makes the possibility that it has a bow shock more likely.[3]
^ abcdefghijklmMunoz-Sanchez, G.; de Wit, S.; Bonanos, A. Z.; Antoniadis, K.; Boutsia, K.; Boumis, P.; Christodoulou, E.; Kalitsounaki, M.; Udalski, A. (21 May 2024). "Episodic mass loss in the very luminous red supergiant [W60] B90 in the Large Magellanic Cloud". arXiv:2405.11019 [astro-ph.SR].
^Pietrzyński, G.; Graczyk, D.; Gallenne, A.; Gieren, W.; Thompson, I. B.; Pilecki, B.; Karczmarek, P.; Górski, M.; Suchomska, K.; Taormina, M.; Zgirski, B.; Wielgórski, P.; Kołaczkowski, Z.; Konorski, P.; Villanova, S.; Nardetto, N.; Kervella, P.; Bresolin, F.; Kudritzki, R. P.; Storm, J.; Smolec, R.; Narloch, W. (2019). "A distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud that is precise to one per cent". Nature. 567 (7747): 200–203. arXiv:1903.08096. Bibcode:2019Natur.567..200P. doi:10.1038/s41586-019-0999-4. PMID30867610. S2CID76660316.
^Henize, Karl G. (1956-05-05). "Catalogues of Hα-emission Stars and Nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds". Astrophysical Journal. 2: 315. Bibcode:1956ApJS....2..315H. doi:10.1086/190025.