Orion is a land of monsters. It’s packed with stars that are among the most impressive in the galaxy – they’re big, heavy, and bright. Even among all those superstars, though, Lambda Orionis stands out. It consists of two monster stars. The largest is about 35 times the mass of the Sun, and perhaps 200 thousand times brighter.

Orion is home to so many major stars because it’s on the leading edge of a spiral arm – a zone where many new stars are being born. Lambda belongs to a cluster that’s one hotbed of starbirth. It contains many stars of all sizes and masses. Lambda’s main star is the brightest and heaviest in the cluster.

The cluster is encircled by a ring of gas and dust – probably outlining the shockwave of a massive star that exploded as a supernova. Lambda’s radiation zaps the material in the ring, making it glow.

Lambda is only a few million years old, yet its time is almost up. Because it’s so massive, it will live a very short life. Soon, it may explode as a supernova, with its core collapsing to form a black hole.

On the other hand, it might be massive enough for the entire star to become a black hole, with no explosion at all – a monstrous ending for a monster star.

Orion is in the east and southeast at nightfall. Bright orange Betelgeuse marks its left shoulder. Lambda is to the upper right. Despite its true brilliance, it looks fainter than many of the hunter’s other impressive stars.

Script by Damond Benningfield