Concept · beginner
Betelgeuse
A bright red supergiant star in Orion, famous for changing brightness and nearing the end of its life.
What Betelgeuse is
Betelgeuse is a red supergiant in the constellation Orion. It is close enough and large enough that telescopes can study its atmosphere and surroundings in unusual detail.
Why it keeps making news
Its brightness varies. Sometimes those changes are explained by dust and pulsations. For about a century, astronomers have also asked whether a companion star could help explain longer cycles in its light.