Betelgeuse attracted worldwide attention in 2019 and 2020, when its brightness suddenly decreased twice in a row.

Betelgeuse has been brightening recently At the rate of 50%, which revived speculation that it would soon explode not only in the sky, but also in the arena of research and public debate. This famous star is one of the brightest stars in the sky, and is located. The Orion constellation is considered one of the most important aspects of winter.

Betelgeuse belongs to the class of stars known as red supergiant, which means that Betelgeuse is already at the end of its life, and the nuclear fusion reactions in its core are nearing completion.

It is expected – according to astrophysics – that a star of this size and at this stage of its life will one day explode when the fusion reactions in its core stop, and it will become a supernova that we can clearly see on Earth, but of course we are at a safe distance from an explosion of this magnitude.

Scientific confusion

Betelgeuse attracted worldwide attention in 2019 and 2020, when its brightness suddenly decreased twice in a row. However, a study published in the journalAstrophysical Journal Letters” In March 2020 the Astrophysical Journal Letters indicated that the first diminution in Betelgeuse’s brightness was caused by a large dust cloud that passed in front of the star.

But still A new research paper has been accepted for publication In The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomy Society, the authors say Betelgeuse is likely to be the next supernova in the Milky Way.

According to the study – which relied on data from several telescopes, including the European Space Agency’s Herschel Space Observatory – Betelgeuse is in the final stages of primary carbon burning and, accordingly, a good candidate for a nearby supernova.

Star layers

We can learn a little to understand that idea Nuclear fusion In the interior of stars, that is, two atoms combine to form different atoms, and a large amount of energy is released through this interaction.

The beginning of a star’s life begins with the fusion of two hydrogen atoms, and they become helium atoms, and after the hydrogen escapes, stars begin to combine helium and convert it into carbon and other elements. Oxygen, then neon, magnesium and silicon, and then we reach iron.

And at the end of their lives, giant stars resemble the layers of an onion, in that each layer contains a specific element, but when the star reaches the iron stage, it means it explodes immediately because it can’t continue nuclear fusion.

Our presence in the carbon state – according to the study – means that Betelgeuse is on the verge of exploding, as the next steps are usually short-lived, which, according to the researchers, suggests that this giant star could explode soon.

But despite this, astronomical research indicates that “soon” may be several tens of years away.