Posted on Dec 11, 2023
A massive star called Betelgeuse will be briefly obscured by an asteroid Monday night
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https://www.npr.org/2023/12/10/ [login to see] /a-massive-star-called-betelgeuse-will-be-briefly-obscured-by-an-asteroid-monday-
It may not be your typical eclipse, but a celestial event expected to occur for a fleeting few moments this week may still have you star-struck.
An asteroid is slated to pass in front of the star Betelgeuse and obscure it Monday night in an event known to astronomers as an occultation.
Experts estimate the rare event will only occur for as many as 15 seconds, according to Space.com.
Betelgeuse is a red supergiant located roughly 700 light-years from Earth and forms part of the constellation Orion. At 10 million years old, Betelgeuse is significantly younger than our sun, but it's also about 700 times larger and 7,500 to 14,000 times brighter.
It may not be your typical eclipse, but a celestial event expected to occur for a fleeting few moments this week may still have you star-struck.
An asteroid is slated to pass in front of the star Betelgeuse and obscure it Monday night in an event known to astronomers as an occultation.
Experts estimate the rare event will only occur for as many as 15 seconds, according to Space.com.
Betelgeuse is a red supergiant located roughly 700 light-years from Earth and forms part of the constellation Orion. At 10 million years old, Betelgeuse is significantly younger than our sun, but it's also about 700 times larger and 7,500 to 14,000 times brighter.
A massive star called Betelgeuse will be briefly obscured by an asteroid Monday night
Posted from npr.org
Space
Astronomy
Posted 1 y ago
Responses: 2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Thanks for posting! Given the expectation that Betelgeuse will supernova - in the not to distant future (within decades) - what can learned about the asteroid Leona, and Betelgeuse will be very interesting!
""This kind of occultations are very useful to constrain the shape of the asteroid involved," Gianluca Masi, director of the Italy-based Virtual Telescope Project, said in a statement. "Here, we hope to even investigate the surface of the involved star, too: Betelgeuse."
""This kind of occultations are very useful to constrain the shape of the asteroid involved," Gianluca Masi, director of the Italy-based Virtual Telescope Project, said in a statement. "Here, we hope to even investigate the surface of the involved star, too: Betelgeuse."
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