Gemini North Discovers Long-Predicted Stellar Companion of Betelgeuse
9 months ago
- #astronomy
- #Betelgeuse
- #stellar-companion
- Gemini North telescope discovers a stellar companion to Betelgeuse, solving a long-standing mystery.
- The companion star is six magnitudes fainter than Betelgeuse, with an estimated mass of 1.5 times that of the Sun.
- The discovery explains Betelgeuse's periodic brightness changes and provides insights into other red supergiants.
- The companion star orbits within Betelgeuse's outer atmosphere, showcasing the resolving power of the 'Alopeke instrument.
- Future observations in November 2027 will further study the companion star's characteristics.