The Dimming Star Betelgeuse is Acting Weird. Here’s How to Spot It in Orion’s Shoulder.
- The Dimming Star Betelgeuse is Acting Weird. Here’s How to Spot It in Orion’s Shoulder.
by , 3 days ago, https://www.space.com/
One of the brightest stars you’ll see in the sky these days is Betelgeuse, whose red tones provide a fun skywatching target in February.
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This monster star is about 1,000 times the size of our sun, according to NASA, and sits on the shoulder of the famous constellation Orion. The star is variable, meaning that it brightens and dims periodically. Lately, it’s been dimming more, leading scientists to speculate that Betelgeuse could be somewhat close to a supernova explosion, in which the star would run out of gas to burn, then blow up.
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You can easily find Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion anytime between November and February. RIght now, in New York City, Betelgeuse is rising in daylight, so you’ll see it as soon as the sky darkens enough. The star is remaining above the horizon until a few hours before dawn. You can check your local times using SkySafari, a free app for Android or iPhone.
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