Betelgeuse Continues To Dim

I think it was around October of last year that astronomers noticed the bright star Betelgeuse, the reddish star in the constellation Orion, had started dimming. It was the 11th brightest star in the sky. Now it has dropped out of the top 20. It has been known for some time that the star will eventually explode as a supernova, perhaps in the next 100,000 years or so. Some think that it may be about to happen sooner than expected. When it eventually happens it will be at least the 3rd brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon, but it could be even brighter than the Moon.



Betelgeuse: What’s up? | EarthSky.org

 

VG, this is not an actual photo of the constellation Orion.

 

I think he's referring to certain conversations about black holes

 

Seeing Orion upside down while down here is the first time I have felt I am on a globe, rather than just know it logically.

And Orion was what I used to say I'd name my son if I had a boy kid.

It was the name of the cat in the children's book The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark and became my favourite constellation because it was the first I learned.

 

I first learned of the big dipper a.k.a. the big bear, and the smaller bear which includes the polar star.

 

My father pointed out Orion to me, along with the star Betelgeuse, when I was a little girl, eight or nine. I thought the name was beetle juice. I was in my twenties before I learned better!

 

Big dipper?

It's a fry pan. Big fry pan

 

Or a bear

 

Shh!!! That's twice!

 

Did someone else here have the same confusion? I could see it being a common mistake. I guess I made it clear I was not a serious student of astronomy!

 

Was betelgeuse ever that bright to begin with?
Remember when he ate a tide pod?

 

I LOVE astronomy! This is my telescope, a 12" Dob. (I may be the only dude on hip that actually has 12", lol.)

 

Hey, that's cute.

 

Whoa! Not only is Betelgeuse dimming (it is currently at 36% its normal brightness) it has also begun to change shape. This image was taken by Europe's Very Large Telescope (VLT).

 

are there any night sky images of what would look like after going nova?
Id like to see it brighter than the moon

 

That would be great to witness.. but would it be that quick?

 

This thing is light years away... If it was going to happen, it already has.

 

Me thinking that too..