WR 114

The modelled temperature as a single star is 79,000 K, but this is an arbitrary temperature. A Wolf-Rayet star consists of a dense "core", with its surface defined as the sonic point, and a surrounding optically dense wind. The observed radiation from the star is entirely generated at different layers within the wind. The properties of a Wolf Rayet star are typically reported at an "inner boundary" of the wind, arbitrarily set at an optical depth of 20. The radius of this inner boundary in WR 114 is 2.51 R_☉. The sonic point of WR 114 lies at about optical depth 60. At this level the temperature is much hotter. Another common definition for the surface of a star is at optical depth 2/3. For WR 114, this is at about 3.2 R_☉ and the corresponding temperature is around 65,000 K. The luminosity is around 245,000 L_☉ due to the extreme temperature, with most of this emitted as ultraviolet radiation.^[3][7]

The stellar wind from WR 114 is powered by the high temperature and luminosity to a speed of 2,000 km/s.^[6] It is calculated to have a current mass of 13 M_☉ and to be losing this mass at three millionths of M_☉ per year.^[3]

WR 114 is about 45" from another luminous star of similar brightness. IRC −10414 is a red supergiant about 6,500 light years away. At this distance, the projected separation between the two stars would be 0.43 parsecs. WR 114 is listed in the Catalogue of galactic Wolf Rayet stars at around 6,500 light years, but more recent modelling estimates it to be brighter and hence probably more distant. IRC −10414 is a runaway with a visible bow shock and it is thought that a Wolf-Rayet star less than half a parsec away would disrupt the bow shock. It is still speculated that the two stars may have a common origin.^[8]