Red giant star Betelgeuse mysteriously shrinking

Apparently, the news is:

A) The variation in diameter is exceptionally large for its variable type.

B) The variation in diameter does not seem to have been associated with a corresponding change in brightness, as typical with a variable.
 
Linguofreak said:
EDIT: Also, I've seen the media talking about a supernova, but I don't think I've seen any scientific articles so far that have been confident enough that a supernova might happen to actually say that it's even a possibility. (Nor have I seen any that flat out denied it as a possibility). But I really, really want to see a supernova. *Prays*
Click to expand...


We really don't know enough about the period just before the death of a star. We know what causes it, but cannot predict it yet.

The star just might be going though a cycle of "breathing in and out", just like our Sun does... but much more noticeable. Perhaps as it contracts, it heats up, which increases the speed of the nuclear reactions going on in it's core and mantle... an as that happens, the extra pressure pushes it back out.


Oh and as far as I know, the star is some 640 light years away.


The last *big* one that human race saw was the one in 1054 at a distance of 6400 light years away. According to the Chinese, Japanese and Arab astronomers, it could be seen for 23 days during the day and 653 days in the night sky. Magnitude was -6.
There's also the 1006 supernova, which was slightly brighter at -7.5, but was 7200 light years away.

The closest supernova to to Earth that we know of happened around 11 000 - 13 000 years ago, around 800 light years away. It was probably the brightest. Various sources give a magnitude of between -10 and -15. For comparison... Sirius, the brightest star is at -1.5, Venus at -5 and the Sun at -27.7.
The nova was comparable to the Moon, at -14.
 
11000-13000 years ago, there were humans to see it, they just didn't write it down.

But they lived.
 
Well if it goes off in the summer in my lifetime and if Im still in Florida.
I could be swimming in a blue sky at 2 AM were its still 79 degrees outside!
 
Kyle said:
Well if it goes off in the summer in my lifetime and if Im still in Florida.
I could be swimming in a blue sky at 2 AM were its still 79 degrees outside!
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Would be cool.... but no. It'll only be a bit brighter then the Moon. It won't approach anywhere near the Sun's brightness.


Though a full Moon and the supernova combined would brighten the nights quite a bit.
 
BTW, this photo montage gives you a good idea of the size of Betelgeuse relative to Sol. It's also just a crazy pic.

spaceb.jpg
 
ar81 said:
Could it be a problem with human glasses?
Or is it that it prepares itself to become supernova?
With only 470 light-years of distance, if we get to see it it would mean it exploded years ago and the radiation shockwave could kill us, by the time we get to see it, if I understand correctly.
Click to expand...


640 ly


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betelgeuse
 
Andy44 said:
BTW, this photo montage gives you a good idea of the size of Betelgeuse relative to Sol. It's also just a crazy pic.

spaceb.jpg
Click to expand...
That is abosoluty amazing. Canis Major crushes us.
 
There's a new exciting info! It may explode soon! :cheers: :hello: :thumbup: :hail:

"I was talking to my son last week (he works on Mauna Kea), and he mentioned some new observations (that will no doubt get published eventually) of "Beetlejuice"; it's no longer round."

(May 23, 2010, 11:05:30 PM)

http://www.doomers.us/forum2/index.php/topic,68213.0.html
 
I think it would be spectacular to see Betelgeuse become a supernova - I don't think we would have to worry too much about radiation, as the star is not pole-on (so radiation jets from the pulsar/black hole would not be too dangerous), and 470 light years is a long distance. Also, it is normally a pulsating variable anyway, so I don't know if the shrinking is a supernova threat.
 
Something I find suitable to pray for: "OMG, let the dust grain you hardly care about, which I call Betelgeuse, go off in such a way it would become just a fun and not a threat for me, a dust grain you hardly care about. Truly yours..." :hail:
 
I doubt that there is anything living in orbit around Betelgeuse.

At least not anymore. :owned:
 
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