New Observations Reveal WOH G64 Remains a Red Supergiant
Recent studies indicate that WOH G64, a massive star in the Large Magellanic Cloud, continues to be a red supergiant, contrary to previous beliefs of an imminent supernova.
Recent observations have provided new insights into WOH G64, a massive red supergiant star located approximately 163,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Previously, the star's significant dimming led astronomers to believe it was transitioning into a yellow hypergiant, a phase preceding a supernova explosion. However, data collected between November 2024 and December 2025 using the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) revealed the presence of titanium oxide in the star's atmosphere, a characteristic feature of red supergiants. This finding suggests that WOH G64 remains in its red supergiant phase and may not be on the verge of a supernova as earlier thought.
Dr. Jacco van Loon, an astrophysicist at Keele University, stated, "WOH G64 has been claimed to have turned into a yellow hypergiant, which could signal a pre-supernova post-red supergiant evolution. However, our new spectra obtained with SALT show the hot companion's presence but also clear molecular absorption bands from Titanium Oxide (TiO). This implies that WOH G64 is currently a red supergiant, and may never have ceased to be."
The research team also proposes that WOH G64 is part of a binary system, with a smaller companion star exerting gravitational influence. This interaction may be causing the observed dimming and the formation of a circumstellar disk around WOH G64.
These findings underscore the complexity of massive star evolution and highlight the importance of continuous observation to understand the processes leading up to supernova events.