Betelgeuse Is Still Dimming! And We Have the Pictures to Prove It

Near the end of 2019, astronomers watching the red giant Betelgeuse noted how much the star had dimmed, continuing to steadily fade for months.

It’s a variable star, and it’s known to get dimmer and brighter, but the big surprise is that it’s still continuing to dim, recently passing magnitude 1.56 and still getting dimmer. This is unprecedented in the decades that astronomers have been watching the star.

The world’s biggest telescopes are on the case, and the European Southern Observatory released dramatic new images of Betelguese, resolving features on the star’s surface and surrounding area showing how it’s dramatically changed over the course of 2019.

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[hgbugalou]

I know its very unlikely, but it going super nova would do so much to re-interest people, especially children, in space travel and the sciences in general.

[ahmedaak]

Everyone: Explode please.
Betelguese: No, I don't think I will.

[vashcrimson]

say we live only 80 years per lifetime, thats a 1 in 1250 chance.
I like those odds.

[Dan]

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. (Betelgeuse)...on fire off the shoulder of Orion." Roy Batty, Nexus-6, replicant.

[alexstewie]

I know its extremely unlikely but I hope it goes supernova within a few years so I can have a front row seat to see one of the most exciting things in the universe.

[gelgamath_]

Betelgeuse: I think I might be dying

Humans:*in evil Sith voice* do it

[BMrider]

The images entering our telescopes or retinas today left Betelgeuse over a century before Chris Colombus sailed across the Atlantic.
And yet galactically, it's in our 'back yard'!
I'm glad to be living now, when we can, for the first time, get a real handle on the scale of stuff. Amazing images.

[LaunchPadAstronomy]

Nice work as always, Fraser! And great job on talking about what "now" means :)

[georgeb]

It would certainly be something epic to see in one's lifetime.

[JC]

Imagine if Betelegeuse won't go supernova but instead just dims and fades out. I can just imagine every astronomer around the world saying: "son of a b....!" ;-)

[sulijoo]

When it goes, flat-earthers will be like, "meh, it's just a big halogen lamp"

[jesusramirezromo]

I just hope it goes super nova before i die

[DemocracyDiesInDarkness]

Insert John Lithgow screaming "It's shrinking!!!!"

[DamianReloaded]

Fraser: Come on Betelgeuse, explode already!
Betelgeuse: It's showtime!
:D

[poomar]

I had no idea we could resolve convection zones. That's mind blowing

[palpatinewasright]

"come on Betelgeuse, explode already!" Ouch, the ending of this episode seems a little... dark. 😁

[MagnusSkiptonLLC]

*Everyone:* Betelgeuse explode!
*Betelgeuse:* I already exploded like 500 years ago, what do you want from me!?
*Everyone:* Yay! Wait...so the light...(calculates)...mid 22nd century!? Damn it!!!

[needforspeedclub]

Betelgeuse is like.. try to work this out nerds out there! bright dim bright dim bright dim

[dstudiomike]

9 Dislikes? Who could possibly have any reason to actually dislike this video? Oh wait! Flat-earthers. nvm

[markburch]

Earthings: explode already Betelgeuse
Every alien close to Betelgeuse: earthlings are jerks.