WR 102

It is a luminous and very hot star, highly evolved and close to exploding as a supernova.

WR 102 was first mentioned as the possible optical counterpart to a peculiar X-ray source GX 3+1.

[6] However, it became clear that it was a separate object and in 1971 it was highlighted as a luminous star with unusual OVI emission lines in its spectrum.

[5] Very strong stellar winds with a terminal velocity of 5,000 kilometers per second are causing WR 102 to lose 10−5 M☉/year.

These winds and the strong ultraviolet radiation from the hot star have compressed and ionised the surrounding interstellar material into a complex series of arcs described as the bubble type of Wolf–Rayet nebula.