Data source: ESA Gaia DR3
Introducing Gaia DR3 4161055923746484864
In the Gaia DR3 catalog, a distant, luminous beacon stands out not for its nearby glow but for the sheer scale and energy of its light. This star, identified by the Gaia DR3 source_id 4161055923746484864, is described by a combination of temperature, size, and distance that places it among hot blue giants. The data tell a story that is both precise and awe-inspiring: a photosphere blazing at tens of thousands of kelvin, a radius nearly nine times that of the Sun, and a location far enough away to feel almost cosmic in scale.
The numbers that reveal a stellar life in three dimensions
From Gaia DR3, several key measurements converge to paint a clear image of this star’s physical character:
- Effective temperature (Teff_gspphot): about 35,000 kelvin. This places the star in the blue-white region of the spectrum, emitting a large share of its light in the ultraviolet and blue portions of the visible spectrum. Hot stars like this have high-energy photons and typically exhibit short lifespans on the main sequence before evolving into giants.
- Radius (radius_gspphot): roughly 8.92 solar radii. A radius this large, compared to the Sun, means the star occupies a substantial volume and shines with power that scales with its surface area and temperature.
- Distance (distance_gspphot): about 1,847 parsecs, which is roughly 6,020 light-years from Earth. The star sits well within our galaxy, far beyond the reach of naked-eye night-sky perception, but still within the reach of modern telescopes and digital surveys.
- Brightness (phot_g_mean_mag): around 13.7 in Gaia’s G band. That places it far brighter than many faint background stars yet well beyond the limit of unaided human vision in a dark sky. In practical terms, you’d need binoculars or a telescope to catch a glimpse.
- Sky position (RA, Dec): approximately 275.15 degrees in right ascension and −6.31 degrees in declination. This places it near the celestial equator, a strip of sky that is accessible to a wide range of observers from many latitudes.
From radius to stellar volume
The radius alone gives a vivid sense of scale, but translating that distance into volume helps us grasp the star’s three-dimensional heft. For a sphere, the volume V is proportional to the cube of the radius: V = 4/3 π R^3. When we compare this hot blue giant to the Sun, its volume relative to the Sun is simply (R / R_sun)^3.
With a radius of about 8.92 R_sun, the star’s volume is roughly (8.92)^3 ≈ 710. In other words, this single star would enclose a ball about 700 times the Sun’s volume. That kind of volume is a humbling reminder of how quickly a modest increase in radius blows up the space a star occupies. The Gaia DR3 radius estimate makes this intuitive: a large photosphere, a high-energy surface, and a volume that dwarfs our Sun’s tiny, warm disk.
Why the color and temperature matter for understanding the star's nature
With an effective temperature near 35,000 K, this star sits at the hot end of the spectral sequence. Such temperatures yield a blue-white glow and strong ultraviolet emission, characteristic of early-type hot giants. The observed Gaia colors (BP–RP) suggest more complexity: a BP magnitude of about 15.8 and an RP magnitude near 12.4 give a red-leaning color index in those bands. This can point to interstellar dust dimming blue light along the line of sight, or it may reflect measurement nuances in the Gaia color bands for a star of this type and distance. Either way, the Teff value anchors the star’s true color: a blue-hot surface that radiates a large portion of its energy at shorter wavelengths.
Distance, visibility, and the scale of observation
At ~6,000 light-years away, Gaia DR3 4161055923746484864 sits well beyond naked-eye visibility, where only a handful of bright, nearby giants could be spotted without aid. Yet in the age of precision astronomy, such distances are measured with exquisite care through parallax, spectroscopy, and models that tie together radius, temperature, and luminosity. The combination of a large radius and a high temperature means the star shines extremely brightly in its own light, even as it travels across the void to reach us as a distant, blue-tinged beacon.
Position in the sky and what it reveals about the stellar population
The star’s coordinates place it near the celestial equator, a band that is visible from most inhabited latitudes. Its placement in Gaia DR3’s enormous census highlights one of the survey’s strengths: it catalogues stars across a wide range of distances, temperatures, and sizes, from calm red dwarfs to immense hot giants. By focusing on the radius_gspphot, astronomers can estimate volumes and compare these numbers across stellar types, helping to map how stars occupy space within our galaxy and how their physical properties evolve over time.
Why radius data matters for understanding stellar life cycles
Radius is more than a geometric quirk; it encodes a star’s stage in its life. For hot blue giants, a radius approaching several solar radii indicates an advanced, luminous phase where fusion processes and internal structure drive a larger, more expansive photosphere. Gaia DR3 provides radius_gspphot as a practical, model-supported estimate derived from multi-band photometry and parallax. When we combine radius with temperature, we unlock a fuller portrait of luminosity, energy output, and, crucially, the volume that defines how much space the star occupies in the cosmos. In this sense, radius is a bridge from data to three-dimensional understanding—turning numbers into a tangible sense of cosmic scale. 🌌✨
Key takeaways
- A hot blue giant: Teff ≈ 35,000 K places it in the blue-white regime of stellar photospheres.
- Substantial size: radius ≈ 8.92 R_sun implies a stellar volume ≈ 700 times that of the Sun.
- Cosmic distance: about 1,847 pc, roughly 6,020 light-years from Earth, highlighting how Gaia maps distant stars with precision.
- Visibility in our sky: apparent magnitude G ≈ 13.7 means it requires binoculars or a small telescope to observe directly.
- Sky locale: RA ≈ 275.15°, Dec ≈ −6.31°, a position near the celestial equator accessible to many observers.
Explore how Gaia DR3 continues to transform our sense of scale in the Milky Way, turning a single star’s radius into a vivid sense of the vast volume it embodies. If you’re curious to see more data-driven stories from Gaia, dive into the catalog and let the numbers expand your view of the night sky. And if you’re looking for a practical way to connect this curiosity with everyday life, consider browsing our product offerings for a touch of planet-wide inspiration in your everyday items.
This star, though unnamed in human records, is one among billions charted by ESA’s Gaia mission. Each article in this collection brings visibility to the silent majority of our galaxy — stars known only by their light.