Astronomers Watch Another Giant Star Dim besides Betelgeuse #space #astronomer

In late 2019, Betelgeuse, a red supergiant in Orion, underwent a "Great Dimming," becoming 1.2 magnitudes fainter than usual due to a massive dust cloud blocking its southern hemisphere's light.

Observations with the European Very Large Telescope revealed the temporary dimming caused by the cloud, which had likely condensed from a substantial ejection of stellar material. As the cloud dispersed, Betelgeuse returned to its original brightness.

Now, in late 2022, RW Cephei, a yellow hypergiant and one of the Milky Way Galaxy's largest stars, experienced a similar Great Dimming attributed to a comparable event. Supergiants and hypergiants may undergo such significant dimmings once a century, but for observable effects, these events need to be directed toward Earth.

#VLT #Betelgeuse

👍 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄, 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐄, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐄 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞!

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