Betelgeuse's Hidden Partner Emerges in Sharp New Image

Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope with the SPHERE instrument released the clearest image yet of Betelgeuse B, a possible companion star, suggesting Betelgeuse is a binary system. Betelgeuse B is estimated to have 2–3 times the Sun’s mass. Follow‑up observations over a full orbit are needed to confirm the companion's path and to assess any influence on Betelgeuse’s future supernova.