Astronomers have made a fascinating discovery about Betelgeuse, a well-known red supergiant star located about 650 light-years from Earth. Using data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories, they found a companion star, Siwarha, that is shaping the environment around Betelgeuse. This companion is generating a dense stream of gas as it moves through Betelgeuse’s outer atmosphere, helping to explain its unusual brightness changes.
At the recent 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Phoenix, researchers shared their findings, which will soon be published in The Astrophysical Journal. The team, led by experts from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, spent nearly eight years tracking Betelgeuse’s light patterns. This long observation period revealed previously suspected but unconfirmed signs of the companion star.
The impact of Siwarha on Betelgeuse is significant. As the companion passes through Betelgeuse’s atmosphere, it creates a disturbance that produces a trail of gas. Astronomers had been puzzled by Betelgeuse’s unpredictable behavior for years. In 2020, it dimmed suddenly, an event referred to as a “stellar sneeze.” This triggered increased interest among scientists, leading them to uncover two main cycles in the star’s variability: a shorter cycle of about 400 days and a longer one lasting approximately 2,100 days.
Before confirming the presence of Siwarha, scientists proposed various theories to explain Betelgeuse’s changes. These included massive convection cells and potential magnetic activity, but the idea of a hidden companion star seemed to gain more traction in recent years. The newly identified wake behind Siwarha provides solid proof that this theory is correct. Andrea Dupree, a lead author and astronomer at CfA, explained, “It’s a bit like a boat moving through water; the companion star creates a ripple effect in Betelgeuse’s atmosphere.” This direct observation allows astronomers to understand more about how massive stars like Betelgeuse change over time and approach the end of their lives, likely culminating in a supernova explosion.
Looking ahead, astronomers plan more observations when Siwarha becomes visible again in 2027. The implications of this discovery go beyond just Betelgeuse. It could also help shed light on similar mysteries involving other massive stars. The ongoing research into these celestial phenomena is crucial, especially since many massive stars are expected to become supernovae in the future.
Hubble’s contributions to astronomy have been invaluable over its 30 years of operation. Each discovery adds layers to our understanding of the universe, reinforcing the telescope’s status as a vital tool for scientific exploration. For more insights into how Hubble enables such groundbreaking discoveries, you can refer to NASA’s overview of the Hubble Space Telescope’s mission.
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Space Exploration; NASA; Space Telescopes; Space Missions; Cosmology; Astrophysics; Extrasolar Planets; ESA
