v558

HD 143183 is a red supergiant variable star of spectral type M3Ia in constellation Norma. It is a member of the Norma OB1 association, at a distance of about 2 kiloparsecs. It is one of the most luminous red supergiants with a luminosity about 100,000 times greater than the Sun (L☉), and is as well one of the largest stars with a radius over eight hundred times that of the Sun (R☉). It has an estimated mass loss rate of 5×10−5 M☉ per year. It is surrounded by a dozen early-type stars and a circumstellar nebula which extends 0.12 parsecs (0.39 ly).
HD 143183 is catalogued with the variable star designation V558 Normae as its brightness varies irregularly between apparent magnitudes 7.3 and 8.6.It is possible that HD 143183 is a spectroscopic binary with an OB+ companion but this is considered doubtful. HD 143183 lies approximately 1' from the 10th-magnitude O-class bright giant CD-53 6363, the second-brightest star in the cluster.

View More On Wikipedia.org