17 replies to this topic

[rehling]

I like to think I noticed this before reading about it, but Betelgeuse is at an extreme minimum lately. If you've ever wondered what productive imaging you can do with a Moon in the sky, photometry of bright stars is at the forefront of things you can do where light pollution and seeing are basically irrelevant.

 

By chance, I took pictures of Rigel and Betelgeuse last January, so I duplicated the images last night, and the difference in Betelgeuse is profound, particularly the color. Check it out either with or without a telescope. It's a bit sad to see that beacon of the night sky looking so humble.

[descott12]

Yes, quite a bit of talk about this lately. Some believe it is getting ready to blow! I, and many others, do amateur spectroscopy with the SA-100 and that is quite interesting (check out the spectroscopy sub-forum here on CN). But is there an easy way to quantify the overall photometric levels?

Edited by descott12, 04 January 2020 - 02:37 PM.

[GalaxyPiper]

 (check out the spectroscopy sub-forum here on CN).

It would be easier if you provided a link.

[Stellar1]

lets hope she blows! we would be so gifted to be alive at this sliver in time, an experience which would be one in a thousand generations or more to see a supernova this close. despite the fact this may be a common cyclical fainting, and may not go nova for another hundred thousand years or more, i for one, am keeping my fingers crossed.

Edited by Stellar1, 04 January 2020 - 10:26 PM.

[Stelios]

"Getting close" in astronomical terms is different than everyday expectations. "Don't hold your breath" applies. 

[descott12]

It would be easier if you provided a link.

https://www.cloudyni...l-astrophysics/

[Barlowbill]

I am of the opinion that it has already blown and every time I look at it the light will finally get here and I will see it.  I'm going to keep looking, 'ya never know

[Stellar1]

I am of the opinion that it has already blown and every time I look at it the light will finally get here and I will see it.  I'm going to keep looking, 'ya never know

That is a point no one seems to touch upon and, it seems kind of funny listening to this and that decorated astronomer speak as though they have the secret manual for Betelgeuse specifically. As a matter of fact, its distance from us has been measured but, with a large margin for error, it could be 640 light years,or 1200 light years. Betelgeuse could have exploded five hundred years ago, one can point out all the statistical graphs outlining its previous magnitude fluctuations but, the fact remains, we are looking at a star which frankly may not even exist anymore. One day it will explode, I am willing to bet, when it happens there would have been countless experts in the previous weeks who would be saying "no, its unlikely, it will linger in this state for about another fifty thousand years" then, a week later.....BOOOM!! I just hope i'll still be around to email them all "you were saying??".

Edited by Stellar1, 04 January 2020 - 10:53 PM.

[AndrewXnn]

It's been a while since the last official update: http://www.astronome...org/?read=13365

 

As I understand, it's near the coincidental minimum of both its 5.9year and 425 day cycles.

So, it should be slowing brightening and that should be evident within the next few weeks.

 

If not, then something else is happening.

[iwannabswiss]

It's nice to see someone's comparison.  Thanks for sharing what you've captured and their difference.

[GalaxyPiper]

Well...For what it is worth, I've been looking for early warning app for Neutrino emissions that is a forewarning event before a Super Nova of a star.

There is not one, in existence...yet.

However, there is a website that if you sign up for a notification, it will send you an email hopefully early enough, and to give enough time to set up a scope on the event. Maybe 2-3 hours notice.

SNEWS has been running in automated mode since 2005. Currently, seven (7) neutrino experiments are involved: Super-K (Japan), LVD (Italy), Ice Cube (South Pole), KamLAND (Japan), Borexino (Italy) Daya Bay (China), and HALO (Canada).

For a personal notice, go to this website, and it will tell you how to set that up, at the Super Nova Early Warning System website here:

https://snews.bnl.gov/

To sign up for the early warning email, go here: https://lists.bnl.go...nfo/snews-alert

Even if this alert happens in the day time on your side of the planet, this will give you several hours to aim your scope in the direction indicated.

A bright enough super nova can be captured during the day, and if it is Betelgeuse, should be brighter than the moon seen during the day!

Betelgeuse right now is dimmer than it has ever been @ 1.506 (https://www.universetoday.com/)

Is it going to blow? Sign up now and be the first to know!

Edited by GalaxyPiper, 24 January 2020 - 01:21 AM.

[Madratter]

I was out the other night and was struck by just how deep orange it is. I don't recall it ever being that deep a color.

[kel123]

lets hope she blows! we would be so gifted to be alive at this sliver in time, an experience which would be one in a thousand generations or more to see a supernova this close. despite the fact this may be a common cyclical fainting, and may not go nova for another hundred thousand years or more, i for one, am keeping my fingers crossed.

Not so fast. I can bet you that the changes that will make it blow won't be the ones that happens over a year or a few years.

The distances between us and these DSOs are .. .well, astronomical. Hence, it will may blow in our life time. It is for this reason that nebulae have almost same shape since we were born.

It is possible that the dimming of the star has nothing to do with the star itself. What about some cloud of stellar dust coming somewhere between us and the star. Of course I am just guessing with no scientific basis.

[nimitz69]

I like to think I noticed this before reading about it, but Betelgeuse is at an extreme minimum lately. If you've ever wondered what productive imaging you can do with a Moon in the sky, photometry of bright stars is at the forefront of things you can do where light pollution and seeing are basically irrelevant.

 

By chance, I took pictures of Rigel and Betelgeuse last January, so I duplicated the images last night, and the difference in Betelgeuse is profound, particularly the color. Check it out either with or without a telescope. It's a bit sad to see that beacon of the night sky looking so humble.Rigel Betelgeuse 2019 2020 RGB.png

Sad?  It’s one of the coolest things things that could possibly happen!  It’s already gone supernova and we’re just waiting to see it ... 

[DeanS]

Hopefully it went super nova about 599-600 years ago

[AndrewXnn]

Here is the most recent update from The Astronomer's Telegram:

 

http://www.astronome...org/?read=13410

 

In brief, Betelgeuse is continuing to dim, but not as quickly as before

and is about 0.2 magnitude dimmer than it was last month.

This is the coolest and least luminous of all precise measurements

and implies an increase in radius of  ~9%.

However, it could also be also be that material has been ejected and obscuring our view.

 

If this is cyclic in nature, then the minimum should be reached before Mid February.

[kel123]

Betelgeuse is losing its j̶u̶i̶c̶e̶ geuse

[GalaxyPiper]

Yeah, now it seems that Betelgeuse is plateauing out...but it is still worth watching, or at least keeping tabs on.

Astronomers and Scientist still do not know what is going on.

Maybe Orion had the bathroom window open this whole time, and decided to close close the drapes. 

Who knows...