The clearest image of Betelgeuse, the star that can destroy us, has been obtained. Light of Orion

One of the stars in the night sky is the brightest Betelgeuse. It is located in the constellation Orion. It can be seen in the night sky even without special instruments. The size of the star is amazing. It exceeds the mass of the Sun by 20 times in its mass, and by more than 1000 times in diameter. The distance to Betelgeuse is estimated at just over 600 light years (the distance traveled by light in a year at a speed of 300,000 km / h is 1 light year).

Betelgeuse (translated from Arabic as "twin's armpit") is a supermassive red giant. If you take it and put it in the place of the Sun, then it would reach the orbit of Jupiter, while covering all the planets that are inside. Our Sun will emit light 50 thousand times less when compared with Betelgeuse. By galactic standards, this star is still young - about 10 million years old. Stars belonging to red supergiants live very short lives. Considering the huge pressure inside the star created due to its colossal mass, it burns its fuel very quickly, which directly affects the lifetime of the star itself.

Star life

The birth of a star is no different from the birth of other stars. In the vastness of the galaxy, a molecular cloud of a spherical shape is formed, a protostar. Then thermonuclear fusion began under the enormous pressure of the mass of the star. This process leads to the heating of the core. At this stage, hydrogen begins to turn into helium, while huge energy is released into space. Thanks to this energy, the star does not shrink.

Over time, hydrogen ends, which accordingly entails a loss of energy and the star still begins to shrink. The core begins to shrink with even greater force until the moment when helium begins to go into another state - turn into carbon. Then there is a helium flash. At this point, the star begins to release an enormous amount of energy. From an ordinary star, it turns into a red giant. At this stage of life is Betelgeuse.

New elements appear (neon, oxygen, etc.) before the formation of iron. Over time, the fuel runs out, and the core begins to shrink again. Inside the star, the iron core is compressed, which subsequently becomes neutronic. Then there is a huge explosion. This explosion is the formation of a type 2 supernova. Instead of a core, a black hole or a neutron star can form.

Is there a danger to the Earth?

There is no definite answer to the question of when Betelgeuse will explode. Some scientists believe that it will happen very soon (in the next 2 thousand years), and there are those who believe that it will happen much later. For our planet, this explosion does not carry any danger. However, if the explosion occurs in our time, then one can observe an amazingly beautiful picture in the sky. The brightness of Betelgeuse will be comparable to the Moon, both day and night. However, after a few years, the visibility will fade and then gradually disappear completely. And in its place is formed.

Betelgeuse is the second brightest star in the constellation Orion and a red supergiant: description and characteristics with photos, facts, color, coordinates, latitude, supernova. Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis) is the second brightest star in Orion and the 9th in the sky. It is a red supergiant, 643 light years distant. Ends its existence and will explode as a supernova in the near future...
Before you is a large, bright and massive star, which is easy to see in the winter. Lives in the shoulder of the constellation Orion opposite Bellatrix. You will know where the Betelgeuse star is if you use our online star map.
Betelgeuse is considered a variable star and periodically outshines Rigel. The name comes from the Arabic translation "hand of Orion". Modern Arabic "al-Jabbar" means "giant". The translators confused Y for B and the name "Betelgeuse" appeared only as a mistake. Further you will learn about the distance to the star Betelgeuse, its latitude, coordinates, class, declination, color and luminosity level with photos and diagrams.

Betelgeuse is in Orion's right shoulder (top left). If placed in our system, it will go beyond the asteroid belt and touch the orbital path of Jupiter.
Refers to the spectral type M2Iab, where "lab" indicates that we are dealing with a supergiant with an intermediate luminosity. The absolute value reaches -6.02. The mass fluctuates between 7.7-20 times that of the sun. The age is 10 million years, and the average luminosity is 120,000 times the solar indicator.
The apparent value changes from 0.2-1.2 in 400 days. Because of this, it periodically bypasses Procyon and takes the 7th position in terms of brightness. At the peak of luminosity, Rigel outshines, and at the dim period it falls below Deneb and becomes the 20th.
The absolute value of Betelgeuse varies from -5.27 to -6.27. The outer layers expand and contract, causing temperatures to rise and fall. The pulsation occurs due to the unstable atmospheric layer. When absorbed, it absorbs more energy.

The collage depicts the constellation of Orion (the arrow points to Betelgeuse), the approach to Betelgeuse, and the most accurate image of the supergiant obtained by the ESO telescope
There are several pulsation cycles with short-term differences of 150-300 days, and long-term ones cover 5.7 years. The star is rapidly losing mass, so it is covered by a huge shell of material, which makes it difficult to observe.
In 1985, two satellites were noticed in orbit around the star, but then they could not be confirmed. Betelgeuse is easy to find because it is located in Orion. From September to March, it is visible from any point on Earth, except for 82°S. For residents of the northern hemisphere, the star will rise in the east after sunset in January. In summer, she hides behind the Sun, so she cannot be seen.

Supernova and star Betelgeuse

Betelgeuse has come to the end of its evolutionary development and will explode as a type II supernova in the next million years. This will result in a visual magnitude of -12 and last for a couple of weeks. The last supernova, SN 1987A, could be seen without instruments, although it occurred in the Large Magellanic Cloud, 168,000 light-years distant. Betelgeuse will not harm the system, but will give an unforgettable celestial spectacle.
Although the star is young, it has practically used up its fuel supply. Now it shrinks and increases internal heating. This resulted in the melting of helium into carbon and oxygen. As a result, an explosion will occur and a 20-kilometer neutron star will remain.
The final star always depends on the mass. The exact figure remains vague, but many believe that it exceeds the Sun by 10 times.

Facts about the star Betelgeuse

Let's look at interesting facts about the star Betelgeuse with a photo and a view of the stellar neighbors in the constellation of Orion. If you want more details, then use our 3D models that allow you to independently move among the stars of the galaxy.
Included in two winter asterisms. Occupies the upper corner of the Winter Triangle.

Stars of the Winter Triangle

The remaining corners are assigned to Procyon and Sirius. Betelgeuse is also part of the Winter Hexagon along with Sirius, Procyon, Pollux, Capella, Aldebaran and Rigel.
In 2013, it was thought that Betelgeuse would crash into a "cosmic wall" of interstellar dust in 12,500 years.
Betelgeuse is part of the Orion OB1 Association, whose stars share regular motion and uniform speed through space. The red supergiant is thought to have changed its course because its path does not intersect with star-forming regions. May be a runaway member that appeared about 10-12 million years ago in the Orion molecular cloud.

This is an image of the dramatic nebula around bright red supergiant Betelgeuse. Formed from images of the VISIR infrared camera on the Very Large Telescope. The structure resembles a flame and emerges from the star as it ejects its material into space. The tiny red circle extends 4.5 times from Earth's orbit and represents the visible area of Betelgeuse's surface. The black disk corresponds to the bright part of the frame and is masked to show the nebula.
The star moves in space with an acceleration of 30 km/s. As a result, a shock wave was formed with a length of 4 light years. The wind pushes huge gas volumes at a speed of 17 km / s. They managed to display it in 1997, and the formation is about 30,000 years old.
Alpha Orionis is the brightest near-IR source in the sky. Only 13% of the energy is displayed in visible light. In 1836, John Herschel noted stellar variability. In 1837, the star eclipsed Rigel and repeated this in 1839. It was because of this that in 1603 Johann Bayer mistakenly gave Betelgeuse the designation "alpha" (as the brightest).
The star Betelgeuse is believed to have begun existence 10 million years ago as a hot blue O-type star. And the initial mass exceeded the solar mass by 18-19 times. Until the 20th century, the name was recorded as "Betelje" and "Betelgeuse".

An image from 2010 shows the nebulous complex of the Orion Molecular Cloud. Also visible are the red supergiant Betelgeuse (top left) and Orion's Belt, which includes Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. Rigel lives below, and the red crescent is Bernard's loop
Betelgeuse has been fixed in different cultures under different names. In Sanskrit, it is written as "bahu", because the Hindus saw a deer or an antelope in the constellation. In China, Shenksia is the "fourth star" as a reference to Orion's belt. In Japan - Heike-boshi as a tribute to the Heike clan, who took the star as a symbol of their kind.
In Brazil, the star was called Zhilkavai - a hero whose wife tore his leg. In northern Australia, she was nicknamed "Owl Eyes", and in southern Africa - a lion hunting for three zebras.

Supergiant Betelgeuse, captured by the NACO instrument on the Very Large Telescope. When combined with the “lucky imaging” technique, it is possible to get the clearest image of a star even with turbulence that distorts the image with the atmosphere. The expansion is 37 milli-arc seconds. The frame was obtained based on data from the near-IR region and the application of various filters
Betelgeuse is also featured in various feature films and books. So the hero of "Beetlejuice" shares a name with the star. Betelgeuse became the home system for Zaford Beeblebrox from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Kurt Vonnegut has a star in Titan's Sirens, as does Pierre Boulle in Planet of the Apes.

Betelgeuse star size

It is difficult to determine the parameters, but the diameter covers approximately 550-920 solar. The star is so huge that it exhibits a disk in telescopic observations.

An artist's rendering of the supergiant Betelgeuse, as revealed by the Very Large Telescope. It can be seen that the star has a large gas plume. Moreover, it is so large that it covers the territory of our system. These findings are important because they help to understand how such monsters eject material at high speed. The scale is left in units of radius and comparison with the solar system
The radius was measured using an infrared spatial interferometer, which showed a mark of 3.6 AU. In 2009, Charles Townes announced that since 1993, the star has shrunk by 15%, but has not lost its brightness. Most likely, this is caused by the activity of the shell in the extended atmospheric layer. Scientists have found at least 6 shells around the star. In 2009, a gas release was recorded at a distance of 30 AU.
Alpha Orionis became the second star after the Sun, where it was possible to calculate the angular size of the photosphere. This was done by A. Michelson and F. Paise in 1920. But the numbers were inaccurate due to attenuation and measurement errors.
The diameter is difficult to calculate due to the fact that we are dealing with a pulsating variable, which means that the indicator will always change. In addition, it is difficult to determine the stellar edge and photosphere, since the object is surrounded by a shell of ejected material.

Comparison of the sizes of Betelgeuse (large dull red sphere in the orbital path of Jupiter) and R Doradus (red ball inside the Earth's orbit). Also marked are the orbits of Mars, Venus, Mercury and the stars - Rigel and Aldebaran. The faint yellow sphere has a radius of 1 light minute. Yellow ellipses - planetary orbits
It was previously believed that Betelgeuse has the largest angular diameter. But later they did a calculation in R Doradus and now Betelgeuse is in 3rd place. In radius, it extends to 5.5 AU, but can be reduced to 4.5 AU.

Distance of the star Betelgeuse

Betelgeuse resides 643 light years away in the constellation Orion. In 1997, it was believed that the indicator was 430 light years, and in 2007 they put it at 520. But the exact figure remains a mystery, because direct measurement of parallax shows 495 light years, and the addition of natural radio emission shows 640 light years. Data from 2008 taken by the VLA suggested 643 light years.
Color index - (B-V) 1.85. That is, if you wanted to know what color Betelgeuse is, then we have a red star.

The photosphere has an expanded atmosphere. As a result, blue emission lines appear, not absorption lines. Even ancient observers knew about the red color. So Ptolemy in the 2nd century gave a clear description of the color. But even 3 centuries before him, Chinese astronomers described the color yellow. This does not indicate an error, because earlier the star could be a yellow supergiant.

Betelgeuse star temperature

The surface of Betelgeuse warms up to 3140-4641 K. The atmospheric index is 3450 K. The gas cools with expansion.

Physical characteristics and orbit of the star Betelgeuse

Betelgeuse is the Alpha of Orion.
Constellation: Orion.
Coordinates: 05h 55m 10.3053s (right ascension), + 07° 24" 25.426" (declination).
Spectral type: M2Iab.
Magnitude (visible spectrum): 0.42 (0.3-1.2).
Value: (J-band): -2.99.
Absolute value: -6.02.
Distance: 643 light years.
Variable type: SR (semi-regular variable).
Massiveness: 7.7-20 solar.
Radius: 950-1200 solar.
Luminosity: 120,000 solar.
Temperature mark: 3140-3641 K.
Rotation speed: 5 km/s.
Age: 7.3 million years.
Name: Betelgeuse, Alpha Orioni, α Orioni, 58 Orona, HR 2061, BD + 7° 1055, HD 39801, FK5 224, HIP 27989, SAO 113271, GC 7451, CCDM J05552+0724AP, AAVSO 0549+07.

Constellation of Orion - one of the most beautiful and rich in space wonders. There is a whole spectrum of different space objects from nebulae to unique stars. Among these miracles there is a real giant among the stars - Betelgeuse , also called Alpha Orion . The generally accepted version is that the name Betelgeuse comes from the distorted Yad al-Jawz - "the hand of the Twin" (Arabic). This star has other names: "Al-Mankib" ("shoulder"), "Ardra", "Nakshatra" (Hindi), "Bahu" (Sanskrit), "Claria" (Coptic, "bandage").
This is really a very interesting star, one of the brightest stars in the night sky, and one of the largest stars in the observable Universe, also one of the possible candidates for a supernova explosion in the next few centuries, and even earlier in the Milky Way.

Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion is marked with a red circle.

To see Betelgeuse in the sky - find the constellation Orion and look at the red star of the upper triangle. Betelgeuse is a reddish star located in the right shoulder (left side) of the constellation Orion, and is the second brightest star in this constellation. It is a red supergiant, and its size is really impressive. If we place this star in the place of the Sun, then it would fill the entire space up to the orbit of Jupiter in the maximum size, and at the minimum - to the orbit of Mars. Betelgeuse is brighter than the Sun 80 000 - 100 000 once. In this case, the mass of the star is only 13 — 17 solar, since its atmosphere is more rarefied and the density is much lower than that of the sun. The distance to the star is estimated at approximately 500-640 light years from Earth. It is a semi-regular variable star, that is, its luminosity and size change at different intervals. With modern instruments, it is possible to view the disk of a star, and in some cases spots on the surface, using infrared interferometry. The spots may be giant convective cells rising from beneath the supergiant's surface. Their increased brightness is due to the fact that they are hotter than the surrounding surface.
Betelgeuse is the first of the stars for which the angular diameter seen from Earth was measured (December 13, 1920), and it is approximately 0,047-0,055 arcsec. and varies with the luminosity of the star.

Spotted surface of Betelgeuse obtained using infrared interferometry

The spectral class of the star is M2Iab, and the temperature of the upper layers of the atmosphere (or, as they say, the surface) is about 3600º K ( 3326.85º C), which is much colder than the Sun's temperature of 5778º K ( 5504.85 ºС), which gives the star a reddish tint, against the yellow of the sun.

Photo of Betelgeuse taken by the Takahashi E-180 astrograph

The age of Betelgeuse is estimated at about 10 million years, which is a very short period of time by astronomical standards, for comparison, the age of the Sun is estimated at about 5 billion years (and the Sun has approximately the same amount of time left to “live”). Nevertheless, Betelgeuse is in one of the last stages of existence - burning out carbon in the star's core, and most scientists assume that in the relatively near future (several hundred years, or maybe at any moment) it can explode into class II supernova. Such a supernova explosion would be a very spectacular event. It will be visible even during the day and will be the brightest object in the sky after the Sun, and will shine like that for several weeks, since in a short period of time it will release as much energy as the Sun releases in its entire life. In a few centuries, only a nebula with a neutron star, or a black hole inside, will remain in place of the star. A similar nebula, for example, is the Crab Nebula.
Perhaps it has already exploded, but, alas, we will not see this for at least 500 years. At such a distance - a supernova explosion does not pose any threat to earthly life.

Betelgeuse is losing its outer shell. Photograph of the Herschel telescope

Some scientists believe that there will be no explosion, the star will simply shed its outer layers of the atmosphere, exposing a heavy dense core (presumably oxygen-neon) thus forming a white dwarf. The star is still constantly losing a large amount of its matter from the upper layers of the atmosphere, forming around itself a huge cloud of gas and dust. In the new photos, these gaseous nebulae around the star are clearly visible.
In the photo above, you can see several condensed arcs of matter on the left side of the image. Some scientists suggest that these arcs are completely unrelated to the star and are not matter that the star is losing, but rather a dark cloud of gas and dust that highlights Betelgeuse. If this is true, then in the future Betelgeuse is waiting for a collision with it. But that remains to be seen.

Photo of Betelgeuse taken by the Very Large Telescope in Chile

But still, most astronomers believe that the gas plume belongs to the substance that the star has thrown off itself. A recent image from the Very Large Telescope in Chile resolves not only the disk of the star, but also the huge plume of gas surrounding the star. This trail allows us to understand how a massive star is losing matter as it approaches the end of its life. The researchers found a strong flow of the interstellar medium around the star, which originates in star-forming regions in Orion's Belt and has a speed of 11 km / s. Betelgeuse crosses this stream at 30 km/s, spewing solar wind at 17 km/s. Observational data obtained earlier indicate that over the past decade the surface of Betelgeuse has significantly decreased, but the luminosity has not changed. Scientists have not yet been able to explain this.

Betelgeuse photo of the Orbital Telescope. E. Hubble.

P.S. Admin . It is noteworthy that during the observation period from 1993 to 2009, the diameter of the star decreased by 15 % , with 5,5 to about 4.7, and by 2011 to 4,5 astronomical unit, and astronomers are not yet able to explain what this is connected with. At the same time, the brightness of the star did not change noticeably during this time.
The reasons for the observed decrease in the radius of Betelgeuse may also be associated with an incorrect interpretation of the data obtained, for example:
differences in the brightness of different parts of the star's surface; due to rotation, these irregularities change position, as a result of which the apparent brightness changes. These changes can be taken as diameter changes.
Modeling of supergiant stars suggests that such stars may be non-spherical, similar to an irregularly shaped potato. It is assumed that Betelgeuse may have a rotation period 18 years, that is, while Betelgeuse was observed by orbiting telescopes for less than one revolution around its axis.
It is possible that scientists are not observing the true diameter of the star, but a certain layer of dense molecular gas, the movements of which create the appearance of a change in the true size of the star.
There is a gaseous nebula around the star, which for a long time could not be seen due to the fact that it is obscured by the light of the star.

Betelgeuse (α Orioni) is a bright star in the constellation Orion. A red supergiant, a semi-regular variable star whose brightness varies from 0.2 to 1.2 magnitudes and averages about 0.7 m. The red color of the star, easily visible when observed with the naked eye, corresponds to the color index B-V = 1.86 m. The minimum luminosity of Betelgeuse is 80 thousand times greater than the luminosity of the Sun, and the maximum is 105 thousand times. The distance to the star is, according to various estimates, from 495 to 640 light years. This is one of the largest stars known to astronomers: if it were placed in the place of the Sun, then at a minimum size it would fill the orbit of Mars, and at a maximum size it would reach the orbit of Jupiter.

The angular diameter of Betelgeuse, according to modern estimates, is about 0.055 arc seconds. If we take the distance to Betelgeuse equal to 570 light years, then its diameter will exceed the diameter of the Sun by about 950-1000 times. The mass of Betelgeuse is approximately 17 solar masses.

Comparison of the sizes of the Sun and Betelgeuse

Presumably, the name comes from the distorted Arabic “Yad al Jawza” (“twin’s hand” or even his “armpit”), which in medieval Latin, due to a copyist’s mistake who did not know the intricacies of translation from Arabic, was first transformed into Bedalgeuze, and then gradually into the present day. famous Betelgeuse.

Do not confuse the modern constellation Gemini with the Arabic one. Orion, in which Betelgeuse is located, was part of Gemini among the Arabs.

An interesting fact is that over 16 years of observations since 1993, the radius of Betelgeuse has decreased by as much as 15 percent, while its brightness has not changed. Scientists have not yet given a clear answer why this happened. Versions are put forward both about inaccuracies in the observations of the star, and that it may have an irregular shape and simply turned its other side towards us during the observation. Since Betelgeuse is as much as 570 light-years distant from the Sun, it is not possible to collect more accurate data on its characteristics at the moment.

The future of the star is also very vague. Perhaps the fate of a supernova awaits her, or perhaps this red supergiant will be lucky and she will throw off her shell in the form of a planetary nebula, and she herself will turn into a white dwarf. If the star is destined to explode, then a supernova comparable in brightness to the Moon will be observed on Earth for several months, and then the star will disappear forever for earthlings, but after centuries a nebula will become visible in this place.

However, if one of Betelgeuse's poles points towards Earth, there will be more tangible impacts. A stream of gamma rays and other cosmic particles will be sent to the Earth. There will be strong auroras and possibly a measurable decrease in the amount of ozone in the ozone layer, with consequent adverse effects on life on the planet. In the case of such an orientation with respect to the solar system, the flash will also be many times brighter than if the axis of the star is directed away from us.

In 1980, Shu-ren, Jianming and Jin-yi found Chinese reports dating back to the 1st century BC during excavations. e., from which it follows that the color of Betelgeuse is white or yellow. At the same time, Ptolemy in 150 AD. e. describes it as a red star. Fang Lizhi, a Chinese astrophysicist, suggested that Betelgeuse may have evolved into a red giant star at that time. Stars are known to change their color from white to yellow to red after they use up the hydrogen in their cores. Shu-ren suggested that Betelgeuse may have changed its color when it shed its shell of dust and gas, which is visible even now and is still expanding. Thus, if their version is correct, it is unlikely that Betelgeuse will soon go supernova, because the star usually remains a red giant for tens of thousands of years.

> Betelgeuse

Betelgeuse- the second brightest star in the constellation of Orion and a red supergiant: description and characteristics with photos, facts, color, coordinates, latitude, supernova.

Betelgeuse(Alpha Orionis) is the second brightest star in Orion and the 9th in the sky. It is a red supergiant, 643 light years distant. Ends its existence and will explode as a supernova in the near future.

Before you is a large, bright and massive star, which is easy to see in the winter. Lives in the shoulder of the constellation Orion opposite Bellatrix. You will know where the Betelgeuse star is if you use our online star map.

Betelgeuse is considered a variable star and periodically outshines Rigel. The name comes from the Arabic translation "hand of Orion". Modern Arabic "al-Jabbar" means "giant". The translators confused Y for B and the name "Betelgeuse" appeared only as a mistake. Further you will learn about the distance to the star Betelgeuse, its latitude, coordinates, class, declination, color and luminosity level with photos and diagrams.

Betelgeuse is in Orion's right shoulder (top left). If placed in our system, it will go beyond the asteroid belt and touch the orbital path of Jupiter.

Refers to the spectral type M2Iab, where "lab" indicates that we are dealing with a supergiant with an intermediate luminosity. The absolute value reaches -6.02. The mass fluctuates between 7.7-20 times that of the sun. The age is 10 million years, and the average luminosity is 120,000 times the solar indicator.

The apparent value changes from 0.2-1.2 in 400 days. Because of this, it periodically bypasses Procyon and takes the 7th position in terms of brightness. At the peak of luminosity, Rigel outshines, and at the dim period it falls below Deneb and becomes the 20th.

The absolute value of Betelgeuse varies from -5.27 to -6.27. The outer layers expand and contract, causing temperatures to rise and fall. The pulsation occurs due to the unstable atmospheric layer. When absorbed, it absorbs more energy.

There are several pulsation cycles with short-term differences of 150-300 days, and long-term ones cover 5.7 years. The star is rapidly losing mass, so it is covered by a huge shell of material, which makes it difficult to observe.

In 1985, two satellites were noticed in orbit around the star, but then they could not be confirmed. Betelgeuse is easy to find because it is located in Orion. From September to March, it is visible from any point on Earth, except for 82°S. For residents of the northern hemisphere, the star will rise in the east after sunset in January. In summer, she hides behind the Sun, so she cannot be seen.

Supernova and star Betelgeuse

Although the star is young, it has practically used up its fuel supply. Now it shrinks and increases internal heating. This resulted in the melting of helium into carbon and oxygen. As a result, an explosion will occur and a 20-kilometer neutron star will remain.

The final star always depends on the mass. The exact figure remains vague, but many believe that it exceeds the Sun by 10 times.

Facts about the star Betelgeuse

Included in two winter asterisms. Occupies the upper corner of the Winter Triangle.

The remaining corners are assigned to Procyon and Sirius. Betelgeuse is also part of the Winter Hexagon along with Sirius, Procyon, Pollux, Capella, Aldebaran and Rigel.

In 2013, it was thought that Betelgeuse would crash into a "cosmic wall" of interstellar dust in 12,500 years.

Betelgeuse is part of the Orion OB1 Association, whose stars share regular motion and uniform speed through space. The red supergiant is thought to have changed its course because its path does not intersect with star-forming regions. May be a runaway member that appeared about 10-12 million years ago in the Orion molecular cloud.

The star moves in space with an acceleration of 30 km/s. As a result, a shock wave was formed with a length of 4 light years. The wind pushes huge gas volumes at a speed of 17 km / s. They managed to display it in 1997, and the formation is about 30,000 years old.

Alpha Orionis is the brightest near-IR source in the sky. Only 13% of the energy is displayed in visible light. In 1836, John Herschel noted stellar variability. In 1837, the star eclipsed Rigel and repeated this in 1839. It was because of this that in 1603 Johann Bayer mistakenly gave Betelgeuse the designation "alpha" (as the brightest).

The star Betelgeuse is believed to have begun existence 10 million years ago as a hot blue O-type star. And the initial mass exceeded the solar mass by 18-19 times. Until the 20th century, the name was recorded as "Betelje" and "Betelgeuse".

Betelgeuse has been fixed in different cultures under different names. In Sanskrit, it is written as "bahu", because the Hindus saw a deer or an antelope in the constellation. In China, Shenksia is the "fourth star" as a reference to Orion's belt. In Japan - Heike-boshi as a tribute to the Heike clan, who took the star as a symbol of their kind.

In Brazil, the star was called Zhilkavai - a hero whose wife tore his leg. In northern Australia, she was nicknamed "Owl Eyes", and in southern Africa - a lion hunting for three zebras.

Betelgeuse is also featured in various feature films and books. So the hero of "Beetlejuice" shares a name with the star. Betelgeuse became the home system for Zaford Beeblebrox from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Kurt Vonnegut has a star in Titan's Sirens, as does Pierre Boulle in Planet of the Apes.

Betelgeuse star size

It is difficult to determine the parameters, but the diameter covers approximately 550-920 solar. The star is so huge that it exhibits a disk in telescopic observations.

The radius was measured using an infrared spatial interferometer, which showed a mark of 3.6 AU. In 2009, Charles Townes announced that since 1993, the star has shrunk by 15%, but has not lost its brightness. Most likely, this is caused by the activity of the shell in the extended atmospheric layer. Scientists have found at least 6 shells around the star. In 2009, a gas release was recorded at a distance of 30 AU.

Alpha Orionis became the second star after the Sun, where it was possible to calculate the angular size of the photosphere. This was done by A. Michelson and F. Paise in 1920. But the numbers were inaccurate due to attenuation and measurement errors.

The diameter is difficult to calculate due to the fact that we are dealing with a pulsating variable, which means that the indicator will always change. In addition, it is difficult to determine the stellar edge and photosphere, since the object is surrounded by a shell of ejected material.

It was previously believed that Betelgeuse has the largest angular diameter. But later they did a calculation in R Doradus and now Betelgeuse is in 3rd place. In radius, it extends to 5.5 AU, but can be reduced to 4.5 AU.

Distance of the star Betelgeuse

Color index - (B-V) 1.85. That is, if you wanted to know what color Betelgeuse is, then we have a red star.

Betelgeuse star temperature