LBV 1806−20

LBV 1806−20 is a highly luminous, massive star near the Galactic center, classified as a luminous blue variable. Its distance and possible binary nature complicate estimates of its luminosity and mass.

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Luminous blue variable: A massive, unstable star that undergoes irregular episodes of enhanced brightness and mass loss. LBV 1806−20 is classified in this rare, eruptive class of massive stars.
Stellar wind: A continuous outflow of gas from a star’s atmosphere into surrounding space. A strong wind carries mass away from LBV 1806−20 and shapes its circumstellar environment.
LBV 1806−20 cluster: A compact stellar cluster associated with LBV 1806−20 and other unusually massive stars. The cluster provides environmental clues about the star’s age and massive-star formation.
Stellar multiplicity: The occurrence of stars in gravitationally bound systems containing two or more stellar components. Whether LBV 1806−20 has a companion remains relevant to its brightness and mass estimates.
Stellar luminosity: The total energy a star emits per unit time across all wavelengths. Uncertainty in LBV 1806−20’s distance changes its inferred intrinsic luminosity.
Eddington luminosity: The luminosity at which outward radiation pressure balances inward gravitational attraction in a spherical flow. Near this limit, radiation pressure can destabilize a massive star’s outer layers.
Magnetar SGR 1806−20: A neutron star with an exceptionally strong magnetic field, located in the same general region of the Milky Way as LBV 1806−20. Its apparent proximity once contributed to confusion about the crowded region’s sources.
Massive-star evolution: The sequence of structural and chemical changes that massive stars undergo from formation to their final stages. LBV 1806−20 may represent a short-lived phase, but its exact evolutionary state is uncertain.
Stellar mass: The amount of matter contained in a star, usually expressed relative to the Sun’s mass. Its mass is inferred indirectly and depends on its evolutionary state and possible multiplicity.
S Doradus variability: A pattern of luminous blue variable variability involving substantial visual-brightness changes at nearly constant bolometric luminosity. It describes a common variability mode that helps interpret LBV behavior.