Interesting facts about the Betelgeuse star

  1. Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star located in the constellation Orion. It is one of the brightest stars in the night sky and is visible to the naked eye.

  2. Betelgeuse is one of the largest stars known, with a diameter estimated to be around 1,400 times that of the sun.

  3. The name "Betelgeuse" comes from the Arabic word "Yad al-Jauza" which means "Hand of Orion"

  4. Betelgeuse is a variable star, meaning its brightness changes over time. It has been observed to vary in brightness by a factor of two over a period of several years.

  5. Betelgeuse is a relatively young star, estimated to be only around 10 million years old, despite being in the late stages of its life.

  6. The star is about 640 light-years away from Earth and is one of the closest supergiants to us.

  7. Betelgeuse is expected to go supernova in the relatively near future, astronomically speaking, within the next 100,000 years.

  8. When it explodes, it will be visible during the day and be as bright as the full moon at night, and could potentially affect the Earth's atmosphere.

  9. Betelgeuse is a strong source of infrared radiation, which is why it appears red in color.

  10. The star is a member of the Orion OB1 association, which is a group of stars that formed together in the same region of space.

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