Betelgeuse

Four images from the Very Large Telescope of the red supergiant Betelgeuse (from left to right: Jan. 2019, Dec. 2019, Jan. 2020, March 2020) showing not only that it dimmed, but also that only parts of it got fainter. Credit: ESO/M. Montargès et al.

We may finally know why Betelgeuse dimmed so much. Bonus: No supernova. Yet.

By Phil Plait 11 months ago

Artwork depicting the star VY Canis Majoris erupting out huge clouds of dust. Credit: NASA, ESA, and R. Humphreys (University of Minnesota), and J. Olmstead (STScI)

The red hypergiant VY CMa is bigger than Betelgeuse and belching out vast clouds of dust

By Phil Plait 1 year ago

Venus as seen in ultraviolet and infrared by the Akatsuki probe (left) and a computer model of the atmosphere of Betelgeuse (right). Credit: Venus: JAXA / ISAS / DARTS / Justin Cowart; Betelgeuse: Bernd Freytag

UPDATES: Phosphineless Venus and dustless Betelgeuse?

By Phil Plait 1 year ago

Sunset on a planet orbiting Betelgeuse? No, just our own Sun reddened in October 2020 by Colorado wildfires. Credit: Phil Plait

Don't panic! But Betelgeuse may be 25% closer to Earth than we previously thought

By Phil Plait 1 year ago

Dramatic artwork depicting a huge cloud of dark dust erupting from the southern hemisphere of Betelgeuse, obscuring it and causing The Great Dimming of late 2019. Credit: ESO, ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser

Smoking gun at Betelgeuse: Hubble shows it was belching dust that dimmed the red supergiant

By Phil Plait 1 year ago

A very deep exposure of the constellation of Orion, with Betelgeuse indicated by the arrow. Credit: Rogelio Bernal Andreo

Did Betelgeuse eat another star?

By Phil Plait 1 year ago

Artwork depicting Betelgeuse covered in enormous starspots. Credit: MPIA graphics department

Did Betelgeuse fade due to supersized sunspots?

By Phil Plait 1 year ago

Cropped part of the full-resolution image of Betelgeuse shows countless stars as well as a miasma of gas and dust in the background. Credit: Adam Block /Steward Observatory/University of Arizona

B E T E L G E U S E

By Phil Plait 2 years ago

An infrared image of Betelgeuse shows it's surrounded by a vast cloud of gas with copious amounts of silicates and alumina. Credit: ESO/P. Kervella

Mea culpa: Betelgeuse and its dusty convective pulsations

By Phil Plait 2 years ago

A simulation of the physical conditions inside Betelgeuse predict what the surface looks like, given hot gas rising, cooling, and falling back inside. Credit: Bernd Freytag

No supernova for you: Betelgeuse is brightening again right on schedule

By Phil Plait 2 years ago