For those of you who make it a practice to scroll through the space, news must already have heard about Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse is a star, which is found in the top left corner of Orion. Basically, it’s Orion’s left shoulder. Now many of you might also have heard of how Betelgeuse is dying. Well, basically ‘dying’ refers to it running out of fuel. A star, unlike popular belief, is not an infinite energy source. Stars such as our own sun run on fuels such as helium. These fuels were forged in the distant nebulae, also known as star nurseries. So eventually, after billions of centuries, all the stars, as well as our sun, will run out of fuel.

Betelgeuse had been speculated to run out of fuel by a hundred thousand years. It has entered the dying star category as it’s depleted its fuel considerably. 

In late 2019, Astronomers, as well as backyard enthusiasts observed that Betelgeuse suddenly started to rapidly fade! People presumed some event occurred close to the star which knocked off the star’s timing. The intensity of the star further depleted and was soon very faded. Scientists predicted for it to explode in 2022

Interrupting that, I would like to mention what exactly happens when a star dies. When the fuel depletes, there is a void between the outer helium and hydrogen core. The void sucks the helium inwards, and collides it into the core, much like the LHC but at a larger level. Then, on the surface of the core, pressure and intensity builds. Now there are two possible outcomes. The first is that the core absorbs all the mass, and it reaches a saturation point. This would result in the formation of a good old black hole. However, if the pressure passes through the core, it results in a pressurized explosion, also known as a supernova.

Back to Betelgeuse, it seemed that Betelgeuse planned to blow up faster than predicted. Later, however, in mid-2021, Betelguese regained its intensity. So, it’s not blowing up? Nope. it appears as though a layer of stardust and ash, covered up the star. In other words, Betelgeuse just…’Passed Gas’. Slowly, the gas moved away from the star, and it was visible bright once again. Hooray!