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Betelgeuse stellar observations

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2026-08-27 10:15 UTC → 2026-08-28 10:28 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have conducted detailed observations of the red supergiant Betelgeuse, revealing a highly irregular, bubble-like surface. While the star’s atmosphere maintains an average temperature of approximately 2,000 degrees Celsius, researchers identified bright hotspots that are hundreds of degrees hotter than their surroundings. A significant finding involves a prominent hotspot located toward the northeast that has remained in nearly the same position for over seven years. The longevity of these structures challenges existing stellar convection models, which predict that such features should churn through the star more rapidly. Recent analysis of data from 2023 describes the surface as being characterized by boiling plasma, shockwaves, and intense heat pockets. Located approximately 600 light-years away in the Orion constellation, the star is roughly 800 times the size of the Sun and is expected to eventually end its life in a supernova. This unexpected stability in the northeast hotspot has led researchers to consider whether an undetected companion star, such as Siwarha, might be influencing the star’s atmospheric dynamics and mass loss. These observations may require scientists to re-evaluate how convection, shocks, and ~~the star’s companion, Siwarha,~~ stellar companions influence the evolution of massive stars nearing the end of their lives.

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