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Betelgeuse Explained

Cool Worlds・20 minutes read

Betelgeuse, a massive star near the Sun, dimmed recently, sparking speculation about a potential explosion, but explanations for the dimming include star spots and asymmetrical dust formation, with no definitive evidence pointing to an imminent supernova. The star's unusual behavior, while intriguing, is likely due to natural phenomena like dust or spots rather than a catastrophic event like a supernova.

Insights

  • Betelgeuse, a massive star in the Orion constellation, recently dimmed significantly but is now stabilizing, with theories suggesting star spots or dust formation as potential causes, rather than an imminent supernova.
  • The unusual behavior of Betelgeuse, attributed to possible star spots or dust formation, showcases the complexity of massive stars like Betelgeuse, which, despite their size and power, can undergo fluctuations in brightness due to natural phenomena, highlighting the dynamic nature of stellar evolution.

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Recent questions

  • Why did Betelgeuse recently dim to one-third of its usual brightness?

    Betelgeuse, a massive star close to the Sun, recently dimmed due to a possible giant star spot or asymmetrical dust formation on its surface, affecting its visible brightness.

  • How does Betelgeuse's mass and power output compare to the Sun?

    Betelgeuse, much younger than the Sun, has 15 times more mass and expels 100,000 times more power, making it a massive and powerful star in comparison to our Sun.

  • What are the theories explaining Betelgeuse's recent behavior?

    Theories include a giant star spot reducing visible brightness and asymmetrical dust formation causing dimming, with no need to invoke a supernova scenario.

  • Are stars like Betelgeuse prone to fluctuations in luminosity?

    Yes, stars like Betelgeuse have surface spots that can cover a quarter of their surface, leading to fluctuations in luminosity similar to the orange giant HD 12545.

  • How do sunspots on stars like Betelgeuse compare to those on the Sun?

    Sunspots on stars like Betelgeuse can cover a significant portion of their surface, unlike the Sun where they only cover about 1%, showing that stars are robust to changes in spot coverage.

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Summary

00:00

Betelgeuse: Massive Star's Mysterious Dimming Behavior

  • Betelgeuse, a massive star close to the Sun, recently dimmed to one-third of its usual brightness, sparking curiosity about its potential explosion.
  • Located in the Orion constellation, Betelgeuse is the 10th brightest star in the sky, but its recent dimming has dropped its ranking to 24th brightest.
  • Betelgeuse, much younger than the Sun, was born around 10 million years ago, with 15 times more mass than the Sun, and expels 100,000 times more power.
  • Betelgeuse, now in its giant phase, is expected to evolve rapidly due to its massive size and energy output.
  • Massive stars like Betelgeuse are rare, with only 1 in 200 stars born with as much mass, and their fate upon death can lead to a supernova or implosion into a black hole.
  • Betelgeuse's recent dimming, while unusual, has started to stabilize and even reverse, indicating a variable star behavior.
  • The dimming observed in Betelgeuse's visible light spectrum does not affect its overall power output, as confirmed by consistent infrared measurements.
  • Theories to explain Betelgeuse's recent behavior include a giant star spot, where darkened regions on the star's surface reduce its visible brightness, akin to sunspots on the Sun.
  • Another theory suggests asymmetrical dust formation around Betelgeuse, causing a lopsided appearance and potential dimming in visible light.
  • While the possibility of Betelgeuse going supernova cannot be ruled out, the recent dimming and unusual appearance may be attributed to natural phenomena like star spots or dust formation.

19:11

Betelgeuse's Surface Behavior and Luminosity Fluctuations

  • Stars like Betelgeuse have surface spots that can cover about a quarter of their surface, similar to the orange giant HD 12545, explaining the fluctuations in luminosity observed.
  • Sunspots, which cover about 1% of the Sun's surface during peak cycles, only marginally affect its luminosity, showing that stars are robust to changes in spot coverage.
  • The size of granulation cells on stars like the Sun, related to surface gravity, can be as large as Texas, while on Betelgeuse, due to weak gravity, they are significantly larger.
  • Betelgeuse's extreme convection behavior, possibly causing large dark features on its surface, could explain recent observations of dimming and lopsided images.
  • Two compelling explanations for Betelgeuse's recent behavior include dust blocking light due to a possible flung-off outer layer and extreme convection from the star's interior, with no need to invoke a supernova scenario.
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