Odd supergiant star Betelgeuse is brightening up. Is it about to go supernova?
Odd supergiant star Betelgeuse is brightening up. Is it about to go supernova?
'When it happens, the star will become as bright as the full moon, except that it will be concentrated in a single point.'
It's worth noting that when scientists talk about how it's "about to go" supernova, they are saying within the next 10,000 to 100,000 years at the very least.
I hope that's true! We're about at the perfect distance from Betelgeuse; far enough away that it won't hurt us, but close enough to get a great fireworks show!
I'm not sure about not hurting part. Yes, it will not cause a full on extinction, but extra night brightness will indeed kill some nocturnal species. Even caretta carettas might go extinct due to their newborns rely on stars for finding the sea.