Betelgeuce

Specific upcoming events: comets, meteors, supernovae, eclipses, etc.
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mrgizmo65
10+ Years Member
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Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:02 pm

Betelgeuce

Unread post by mrgizmo65 »

After a nice long rest, I am eager to get back to observing. My first question is what is happening with Betelgeuce??? I have read last night they have a count down clock on the web trying to predict when it will happen. For sure it will be a great viewing subject. As for seeing it our area won't that be in early september?? Anyone have the latest news?? Jerry. P.S. happy to be back!!
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Bruce D
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Re: Betelgeuce

Unread post by Bruce D »

Welcome back Jerry. You know it will be cloudy that night
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Paul D
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Re: Betelgeuce

Unread post by Paul D »

Betelgeuse, Alpha Orionis (α Ori) has been shedding material for a very long time and will do so for many years to come. I wouldn't pull up a chair waiting for it to go supernova though. Betelgeuse, depending on when it actually became a red giant could still have hundreds of thousands of years to a million years of life left before it enters its supernova stage.
Alpha.jpg
Alpha.jpg (50.81 KiB) Viewed 1254 times
Spectral class M1–M2 Ia–ab
Variable type Semiregular (SRc)
U-B colour index +2.06
B-V colour index +1.85
Apparent magnitude V: 0.50 (0.0–1.3)
J: -3.00
K: -4.05
Absolute magnitude -5.85
Distance 724 light years (222 parsecs), or 643 ± 146 light years (197 ± 45 parsecs)
Parallax 4.51 ± 0.80 mas, or 5.07 ± 1.10 mas
Radial velocity +21.91 km/s
Proper motion RA: 26.42 ± 0.25 mas/yr
Dec.: 9.60 ± 0.12
Mass 11.6 M☉ (7.7 to 16.6 M☉)
Luminosity 90,000 – 150,000 L☉
Radius 887 ± 203 R☉, or 955 ± 217 R☉
Temperature 3,590 K
Age 8 – 8.5 million years
Rotational velocity 5 km/s
Surface gravity -0.5 cgs
Metallicity +0.05 dex
Constellation Orion
Right ascension 05h 55m 10.30536s
Declination +07° 24′ 25.4304”
Designations Betelgeuse, Alpha Orionis, α Ori, 58 Orionis, HD 39801, HR 2061, SAO 113271, HIP 27989, GC 7451, FK5 224, BD+07°1055, AAVSO 0549+07, CCDM J05552+0724AP, GCRV 3679, PPM 149643, IRAS 05524+0723, 2MASS J05551028+0724255, TYC 129-1873-1
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