Is Betelgeuse a Binary Star, What New Study Says?

Is Betelgeuse a binary star? This notion has been a topic of discussion among scientists for a long time. Well, If you look towards the constellation Orion on winter nights, you will see Betelgeuse or “Alpha Orionis” one of the brightest and most mysterious stars in the sky spreading its red light. This star has always been a puzzle for scientists because it is not stable like other stars, but its brightness keeps increasing and decreasing from time to time.

Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star that is about 100,000 times more luminous than our Sun. Its volume is about 400 million times that of the Sun. It is so huge that if it were placed at the center of our solar system, its Photosphere would reach beyond the planet Jupiter.

Why Is The Star Betelgeuse Dimming, Real Reason

These changes in Betelgeuse’s brightness caught the attention of scientists, forcing them to investigate it in greater detail. The first noticeable dimming of the star was observed in October 2019, beyond its usual dimming. This event, often called the “Great Dimming,” saw Betelgeuse’s brightness decrease significantly, from a magnitude of about 0.5 to around 1.7, representing about three times less light.

This dramatic change in brightness attracted the attention of both professional and amateur scientists, leading to speculations about whether the star was about to explode as a supernova.

Astronomers at Villanova University, such as Richard Wasatonic and Edward Guinan (along with amateur astronomer Thomas Calderwood), documented and explained this unusual fading during that period. Their theory suggests that this might be caused by ‘deep’ phase-to-deep oscillations over 425 days superimposed on Betelgeuse’s usual light cycle fluctuations.

Based on ongoing observations in late 2019 and early 2020, Betelgeuse’s dimming is a temporary change part of a larger event involving complex interactions within the star. Astronomers were excited to investigate this phenomenon further when Betelgeuse reached its lowest brightness recorded in decades by January 2020.

Astronomers used data from various observatories, including NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, which provided important insights into the processes on and around Betelgeuse. According to the findings, a large amount of scorching matter was ejected from the star’s surface, cooled, and formed a dust cloud that dimmed the light from approximately a quarter of Betelgeuse’s surface. Starlight is obscured by a dust cloud that blocks light from the star.

Astronomers began to understand Betelgeuse’s behavior in greater detail as research progressed. The natural pulsations of Betelgeuse formed a cold spot on the surface due to convective processes, which exacerbated the dimming. These creative factors gave rise to one of the most significant observational events in recent astronomy history.

Is Betelgeuse a Binary Star? Meet Betelgeuse Betelbuddy

Now a recent study has challenged this belief as well. Astronomers found that the brightness and dimness of Betelgeuse may be due to the presence of a hidden companion star orbiting around it. It is formally called Alpha Ori B, and scientists have officially named it “Betelbuddy”, a possible companion star to Betelgeuse. The Betelbuddy orbits Betelgeuse, removing dust and gas particles that affect its brightness.

When Betelbuddy removes dust particles, Betelgeuse becomes brighter and shines brighter. As a result, the brightness of Betelgeuse changes. This process helps explain changes in its brightness, which would otherwise remain a puzzling astronomical mystery.

Jared Goldberg from the Flatiron Institute and a team of researchers used computer models and direct observations of Betelgeuse to understand this process. They investigated Betelgeuse’s brightness and dimness in terms of turbulence within the star or changes in its magnetic field. In reality, Betelbuddy, a companion star orbiting around Betelgeuse, may be affecting Betelgeuse’s brightness by removing dust as it orbits around it. original research paper submitted by Goldberg and his colleagues in The Astrophysical Journal.

So what exactly is Betelbuddy? Astronomers believe that this invisible star may be about twice the mass of the Sun. Despite the existence of this star, it has not yet been directly observed, and its existence has been only indirectly inferred. Some scientists also believe that Betelbuddy may be a neutron star, which is the core of a star left after a supernova explosion. If this is true, it could completely change our understanding of Betelgeuse.

However, it is also true that if Betelbuddy is a neutron star, there should have been evidence of its X-ray radiation, which has not been found yet. Goldberg’s team is now ready to take the next step, which will be the direct discovery of Betelbuddy. Around December, there will be a time when Betelbuddy may be likely to be seen through a telescope. The team is now working on its observation proposals to take advantage of this opportunity.

What Is Unique About Betelgeuse And Its Location

Now let’s talk about some special properties of Betelgeuse, which make it so unique. Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star whose surface temperature is about 3,226 Degrees Celsius. This star is now moving towards the end of its life, burning its remaining energy and releasing huge clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers found that Betelgeuse is a variable star to understand its shining and dimming process.

The variable star is a star whose brightness keeps changing with time. Two types of pulsations have been observed in the brightness of Betelgeuse – one is with a period of a little more than a year and the other is with a period of about six years. These pulsations point towards the star’s life cycle and its final explosion.

Suppose Betelgeuse’s short-period pulsation is its fundamental mode. In that case, the star is very close to its final state, but if its long-period pulsation is caused by an external factor, such as Betelbuddy, it means a supernova explosion may be far off.

What could be causing Betelgeuse’s long-period pulsation? Astrophysicists believe it could be caused by dust generated by Betelgeuse and moving around the star. When Betelbuddy passes through this dust, it dislodges it, temporarily increasing Betelgeuse’s brightness. This process could be causing Betelgeuse’s long-period pulsation, which scientists call a “long secondary period.”

Goldberg and his team also investigated several other possible processes, such as changes in the star’s magnetic field or movements in its interior. However, none of these processes could fully explain the changes in Betelgeuse’s brightness. So, the most likely reason is that Betelbuddy is causing this cycle of brightening and dimming.

Well! Now that scientists have confirmed that Betelbuddy might exist, the next big question is—can it be observed directly? The team is preparing for direct observation around December when Betelbuddy can be seen through a telescope. The team believes that if we can see it directly, it will be a major achievement in astronomy, giving us new information about Betelgeuse and the nature of giant stars.

When Did Betelgeuse Go Supernova

If we talk about the life cycle of Betelgeuse, this star is nearing the end of its life. In the life cycle of giant stars, they spend most of their lives burning hydrogen and helium. When this fuel is exhausted, the star’s core begins to shrink, and the outer layers expand, making the star a red supergiant. Betelgeuse is currently in this phase.

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When this star enters the very last moments of its life, its core will shrink rapidly, resulting in a supernova explosion. This explosion will be so bright that it can be seen even during the day, and this phenomenon will last for several weeks. Betelgeuse’s fundamental pulsations and brightening and dimming processes help scientists predict when this explosion might occur. Recent results bring this estimate within a few thousand to 100,000 years.

Astronomers Are Confident That The Star Betelgeuse Has A Betelbuddy

Studies on Betelgeuse have been carried out since the beginning of modern astronomy. The irregular brightness of this star has always fascinated scientists, and many discoveries have confirmed that it is a complex and intriguing star. But the new information that has come to light recently is that despite so much study of Betelgeuse, we can still make discoveries about it, such as its companion star Betelbuddy.

So Is Betelgeuse a binary star, Well! now it is a matter of time, only future observations of this star can reveal this. The study by the team of Meridith Joyce, László Molnár, and Jared Goldberg not only helps us better understand Betelgeuse but also shows that we can use new techniques in astronomy to reach the depths of stars and uncover their hidden secrets.

Conclusion

So, friends, this was the post on the new study of Betelgeuse and its possible companion star, Betelbuddy. Hopefully, this hidden star will be found soon in future observations around Betelgeuse if it is there. Because this will help solve the decades-old mystery of the mysterious dimming of Betelgeuse. Well! If you liked this post, then share your thoughts in the comments down below about Betelgeuse’s Betelbuddy.

FAQ’s About Betelgeuse