Zeta Ophiuchi - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zeta Ophiuchi is the bright blue star in the center. On the left, in red, is its bow shock.

Zeta Ophiuchi is the closest O-type star to the Sun at nearly 400 light years away.^[1] It is over 8 times wider than the Sun^[2] and appears to be travelling fast through space. This could be because it was blasted by a supernova explosion. The fast motion of Zeta Ophiuchi created a bow shock, or shaped gas, around it as it travels through space.

References

[1] ttps://arxiv.org/abs/0708.1752

[2] ttps://doi.org/10.1046%2Fj.1365-8711.2001.04658.x

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