Huge red star might explode soon and next few weeks are critical [Betelgeuse update]

CNET ^ | February 10, 2020 | Eric Mack

[BenLurkin]

Supergiant star Betelgeuse has been getting dimmer at an unprecedented pace over the past few months, leading some astronomers to wonder if it might be in the process of the collapse that precedes a supernova explosion. But there are other possible explanations, and we should have a better idea of what's happening to the massive star by the end of the month.

Betelgeuse has no more than about 100,000 years left to burn and could start its death throes just about anytime between now and then. When it does go supernova, it's expected to result in a dramatic light show that could be visible in daylight and appear brighter than the full moon for a few weeks. The last time humans were treated to such a sight was the 17th century.

…

Betelgeuse is a well-known variable star that pulsates over a variety of time periods.

"This whole episode might just be a deeper-than-average pulsation, and perhaps the supernova watch can be called off,"

The most recent data from Guinan's team shows that Betelgeuse could be going through an extended 430-day pulsation. If this is the case, then it should reach its dimmest point on Feb. 21 (with a margin of error of about a week on either side).

However, Guinan and colleagues note that Betelgeuse still appears to be even dimmer than it should be during such an extended pulsation. This could mean that there are multiple factors at work in the great fainting of the giant star.

"So something very unusual is going on,"

[zeugma]

They are missing an opportunity to explain the vastness of space.

You are assuming that the writer has any idea of the vastness of space.

[mad_as_he$$]

So it’s a halfvast story?

[Hebrews 11:6]

Wikipedia has it at 642.53, but what’s a few light-years among friends?

[jmacusa]

Betelgeuse, according to astronomer Terence Dickinson is 430 lights away from year. luminosity=15,000. diameter -800.

[jmacusa]

Wikipedia is not the most reliable. I base my info on the calculations of astronomer Terence Dickinson.

[jmacusa]

If one intends to travel there a good book or board game might be in order.

[Campion]

I know who Steven Wright is, my point was that was a classic “gedanken-experiment” used by Einstein to explain special relativity. It’s not a joke, it’s a real problem that had to be explained.

[PIF]

The distance depends on the parallax method used as I quoted - there have been varying distances up to 1300 light years whose right and whose wrong is up to who you believe or not.

[Campion]

There’s apparently a lot of disagreement, depending on the exact method used to measure the distance. 430 light years is the low end. 720 seems to be the high end.

[JohnBovenmyer]

It's always fun learning from the vast collective expertise here at FR! So there was a suitable star that produced a Type II Supernova close enough to produce a threat we'd have enough warning to at least philosophize over our impending doom. The neutrino front leading the radiation front by a matter of hours wouldn't be enough if the radiation was the danger. By the time neutrino astronomers identified it, satisfied themselves as to what was coming, then managed to explain their conclusions to a bunch of scientifically illiterate politicians and media our doom would be here. But the delay from the radiation front to the shock wave would allow for thinking things over.

One might right a good SF story over how that would go, Asimov's Nightfall comes to mind as a model. Not, absent available warp drive, that we could do much to save ourselves. We couldn't even do much to save our legacy for posterity as our records would be destroyed along with us. The one way we might save our legacy would be to build a giant commucation laser and transmit it to somewhere promising — Mote in God's Eye without the Moties themselves visiting.

[Reily]

“....Mote in God’s Eye ....”

I haven’t read that book in a long time!

Now I have to go get a copy & read it again.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Ross is too busy getting it on with that light-skinned Black chick in the “THAT’S HARRASSMENT !” PSA’s.

[Ezekiel]

That was a great post, lol, thanks much!

Plus you know this is all highly suspect because come on, if this thing exploded 700 years ago, we’d have already heard about it by now!

[heavy metal]

we heard it during a televised eric swalwell interview a while back...

[Empireoftheatom48]

Watch out for Crazy Eddie.

[JohnBovenmyer]

I have a copy, but am thinking the same!

[minnesota_bound]

Betelgeuse
Distance to Earth: 642.5 light years
About 1000 times larger and about 10 times more massive then the sun.

Sizes. Our planet is tiny, our sun tiny compared to other stars.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/10/15/1f/10151f8dfe96d78170e5368881953b23.jpg

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/sun-compare/en/size_comparison.en.png