Betelgeuse is the close red supergiant to Earth , an evolved star that is expected to go supernova sooner rather than later in cosmic terms . Over the last 12 months , it has really been mess with uranologist . The star experience adramatic dimmingthat conclude in February , and after a few month ofslowly getting vivid , it has now inexplicably blind again .
The hotshot is currently too close to the Sun in the sky to be observed by Earth , but fortunately , NASA ’s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory space vehicle ( STEREO - A ) is locate a prissy 69 degrees behind our planet in its orbit ; a vantage point that let for observations of the champion without our pesky Sun in the way .
As cover in theAstronomer ’s Telegram , researchers report that the hotshot has been dip again since May . In a series of three observations on June 24 , July 13 , and July 20 , the lead has gotten increasingly dimmer . Enough to make them wonder what might be going on .
“ The decrease in brightness over 26 days between our first and third watching is like to the photometric behavior in recent October 2018 , and slower than the faster decline , between October 22 and November 10 , 2019 , that mark the rootage of the historicGreat Faintingevent in February 2020 , ” the group lead by Andrea Dupree from the Center for Astrophysics / Harvard & Smithsonianwrote .
Betelgeuseis a varying maven , which means its cleverness changes on a cycle per second that in this case lasts about 420 - 430 days . The Great Fainting was in line with that cycle of dimming but its order of magnitude was shocking . It dimmed so much that Betelgeuse record its dimmest magnitude in 125 years , kick it out of the top 20 vivid stars in the sky . A potential explanation for the fall in luminousness isa large star spotthat appeared at the same time , but researchers have nowshown evidenceof a large stellar eruption from Betelgeuse . As that material expanded and cooled down into space , it blocked some of the visible radiation from the star , making it look dimmer than it already was .
pay the length of Betelgeuse ’s bike , it ’s expected to have a minimum brightness in April 2021 , but if the current dimming continues this will hap much originally .
This latest saga is another mystery to add to the ongoing questions we have about this incredible principal . Once again the vivid principal in Orion has all heart firmly on it .
