Astronomy Cast Ep. 786: Wolf-Rayet Stars
Published: March 16, 2026
Duration: 35:05
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_Y-ST_az9c
Hosted by: Fraser Cain (@frasercain) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (@CosmoQuest)
Streamed live on Mar 9, 2026.
You think the Sun is a terrifying ball of fire and fury? Wait until you learn about today's topic: Wolf-Rayet stars! These are massive, dying stars hurling their outer layers out into space before detonating as supernovae. Big stars live brief lives, and Wolf-Rayet stars are the punctuation mark we see before things go supernova.
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Science: Yinuo Han (Ca...