[__ Science __ ] Betelgeuse: Supernova or Fading Star?

[AIG.com]

Betelgeuse, the 2nd brightest star in Orion, is one of the brightest stars in our sky. Some reports suggest it’s becoming a supernova—which is doubtable.

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[Barbarian]

We're seeing a red giant approaching the time when fusion will end.

At some time, in the next few hundred thousand years, it will go supernova.

Betelgeuse is one of the brightest stars in the night sky, but it’s fainter than it’s been in nearly a century, dimming by a factor of two since just October. Its aggressive dimming is a familiar pattern for stars that enter their last phase of life before they explode into a supernova—leading many scientists to believe Betelgeuse is about to go supernova as well.

Betelgeuse, a red supergiant between 8 and 9 million years old, has now fallen from its perch as the ninth brightest star in the night sky, all the way down to number 23. Stars regularly brighten and dim, but accelerated dimming that doesn’t let up is usually a sign a star is cooling down and expanding just before it explodes. At just 650 light-years away, it’s now the nearest candidate for a supernova.

A star called Betelgeuse might be ready to explode into a giant supernova

The star has been dimming rapidly in the last few weeks, and scientists are keen to know why.

www.technologyreview.com

This is the pattern seen before the supernova of 1054, recorded by Chinese astronomers.