Astronomers have discovered a hidden twin in the star Betelgeuse
Astronomers have obtained the clearest images yet confirming that the bright red star Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion is actually a binary system. This was reported on July 29 by Live Science magazine with reference to the European Southern Observatory.
Betelgeuse is one of the 10 brightest stars visible from Earth. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), this red supergiant pulsates with a cycle of 400 days, during which pulsations change its brightness. However, for decades, scientists have been puzzled by another cycle of changes in luminosity, which repeats approximately every six years.
Two independent groups of researchers led by astrophysicist Morgan McLeod from Harvard University and Jared Goldberg from the City University of New York analyzed data on the brightness and speed of the star for decades. Scientists have concluded that the long-term fluctuations are caused by a hidden companion star that orbits so close to the surface of Betelgeuse that it is almost impossible to see it.
Calculations have shown that in December 2024, this satellite will move away from the main star at a sufficient distance to take pictures. A group of astronomers led by Miguel Montarges of the Paris Observatory pointed a Very Large Telescope (VLT) at Betelgeuse and, after several months of data analysis, discovered an object technically called Betelgeuse B.
Miguel Montarges
The fact that we can still detect a nearby satellite more massive and brighter than the Sun around such a well-studied star is amazing. This is one of the best moments in science: to see something new and unexpected.
New images have shown that the satellite's mass is two to three times that of the sun, although scientists previously assumed that these figures were equal. The researchers note that in order to definitively confirm the discovery, they need to make another image in a year, when the object will be on the other side of Betelgeuse.
According to experts, this discovery may change the perception of the future of Betelgeuse. Being a red supergiant, the star is in the final stage of its life cycle and eventually must explode as a supernova. At the same time, the question is whether the companion will have an impact on the evolution of the red supergiant.
On July 20, Science Daily magazine reported on the movement of dying stars in space. According to the publication, at the end of their existence, stars similar to the Sun can receive about 10 thousand small pulses due to uneven emissions of matter. According to scientists, they are able to accelerate to about 1 km/s.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
