Betelgeuse dimming substantially, will it go supernova?

Have you noticed one of the stars in Orion is not as bright as it should be? Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars in the sky, is not as bright as it used to be.

Normally, you can’t miss Betelgeuse. It is the orange star in Orion; his right shoulder in the constellation. If this red giant—almost 12 times more massive than our sun—were placed where our sun is, the outer edge of the star would extend nearly to Jupiter’s orbit!

Orion is very easy to see through the winter months as it is high in the sky most of the night. Here is where to look for Betelgeuse tonight!

Betelgeuse is normally the 10th brightest star in the night sky, but now it doesn’t even make the list of top 20. It is not clear how much dimmer it will become over the next few months. It is a variable star, meaning its brightness changes on a regular basis. However, this is as dim as it has been in some time. Read more details about the history of the changes in the brightness of Betelgeuse in this Sky and Telescope article, “What’s up with Betelgeuse?”

There has been speculation that this could be a sign of a supernova explosion. If it were to happen, it would be a spectacular show as seen from Earth. While the star is expected to go supernova soon, it could anytime from tonight through the next 100,000 years.  When it eventually explodes, it will look brighter than the full moon as seen from Earth! However, it is far enough away so that it will have no impact to life on Earth.

We will be watching Betelgeuse closely over the next few months. Thanks for reading. Just look up; you never know what you will see.