• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Technodrom

The Technodrom

science and Tech

  • Mobile
  • Tech Trends
  • Space
  • Science
  • Technology
  • Gadgets & Products

Betelgeuse Ready to Explode

August 25, 2021 by Shelley Thompson

Have you ever looked up at the sky on a really dark night and wondered what those bright stars are? One of them is Betelgeuse, the 10th brightest star within the sky. The famous star sitting on the constellation of Orion is also a supergiant, likely to explode at the tip of its life cycle in 100,000 years. However, it displayed an unexpected dimming, and by April 2020 dropped to 40 percent of its usual luminosity, triggering speculation it would go supernova. Betelgeuse, the brilliant star located within the shoulder of the Orion constellation and visual to the attention, experienced an outsized dip in brightness likely due to a dark starspot that caused an increase in surface temperature.

Although the brilliant reddish star might be a variable, noted for fluctuating brightness, from October 2019 to March 2020 it has fallen to 60% of its luminosity. This is one of the most important observations in 50 years, and left astronomers puzzled over the irregular light change. After Betelgeuse began to embellish again from April 2020, a supernova was ruled out, and astronomers took off to hunt out a replacement theory to elucidate the weird event.

A plethora of studies imply various theories to clarify the phenomenon, dubbed the great Dimming, reported by the EU Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) and Ultraviolet observations by the Hubble Space Telescope. They ranged from the pre-phase of a supernova explosion (at the tip of the life cycle of a red supergiant) to an oversized cloud of dust and gas moving between the planet and Betelgeuse, and changes within the photosphere of the star.

Editorial content

Regardless of what happens to this supergiant, it will far exceed our lifetime. With over 100,000 years to go, who knows if humans will still even be here to witness such an explosion.

Filed Under: Space

Primary Sidebar

More to See

Galileo! Galileo! Here’s Some Stuff You Probably Didn’t Know About the Guy

September 13, 2022 By Shelley Thompson

You’re Not Basic for Loving Fall, There Are Scientific Reasons We Love It (So Take That, Haters!)

September 11, 2022 By Shelley Thompson

How Research Can Help Us Battle the Sunday Scaries

September 9, 2022 By Shelley Thompson

Topic of the Day: GMOs

September 6, 2022 By Shelley Thompson

Gadgets For Our Crafty Friends

September 5, 2022 By Shelley Thompson

Consider This a Sign to Clean Your Keyboard (and Other Helpful Tech Cleaning Tips!)

September 3, 2022 By Shelley Thompson

Footer

About Us

We’re a lifestyle blog dedicated to everything tech (not only for tech nerds). From space technology to mobile and gadgets, we’re here to talk about our ever-chancing tech world. Examining new (and old) products on the market, sharing our thoughts about the latest tech trends, and exploring the fascinating world of space technology are some of the things you’ll find on our website.

  • Terms of Use
  • thetechnodrom.com Privacy and Cookie Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us

Search

Copyright © 2023 · thetechnodrom.com