Wray 17-96 is a very luminous star in theScorpius constellation, about 20,000light-years (7 kpc) away. It is a suspectedluminous blue variable (LBV), although it has not shown the characteristic spectral variations.
Wray 17-96 has an absolute bolometric magnitude of −10.9 (1.8 million times theSun's luminosity), making it one of themost luminous stars known. The spectral type is peculiar, showing emission and absorption, sometimes both in the same line.Photospheric helium lines are visible indicating that the star is at least somewhat evolved. It is highly reddened byinterstellar extinction and the visual brightness is reduced by nearly 9 magnitudes.[3]
Wray 17-96 is also notable for its highly symmetrical ring-shaped 10 M☉ gas shell,[3] which was originally classified as aplanetary nebula.[10]
^Zacharias, N.; Finch, C.; Girard, T.; Hambly, N.; Wycoff, G.; Zacharias, M. I.; Castillo, D.; Corbin, T.; Divittorio, M.; Dutta, S.; Gaume, R.; Gauss, S.; Germain, M.; Hall, D.; Hartkopf, W.; Hsu, D.; Holdenried, E.; Makarov, V.; Martinez, M.; Mason, B.; Monet, D.; Rafferty, T.; Rhodes, A.; Siemers, T.; Smith, D.; Tilleman, T.; Urban, S.; Wieder, G.; Winter, L.; Young, A. (2009). "VizieR On-line Data Catalog: Third U.S. Naval Observatory CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC3)".VizieR On-line Data Catalog: I/315. Originally Published in: Astron. J. (2009).1315: 0.Bibcode:2009yCat.1315....0Z.
^abcZacharias, N.; Urban, S. E.; Zacharias, M. I.; Wycoff, G. L.; Hall, D. M.; Germain, M. E.; Holdenried, E. R.; Winter, L. (2003). "VizieR On-line Data Catalog: The Second U.S. Naval Observatory CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC2)".CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues.1289: 0.Bibcode:2003yCat.1289....0Z.
