Rare Eclipse: Asteroid to Pass in Front of Bright Star Betelgeuse, Visible to Millions

An asteroid will pass in front of the bright star Betelgeuse, creating a rare and fleeting eclipse visible to millions of people along a narrow path stretching from central Asia to parts of Mexico. Astronomers hope to learn more about Betelgeuse and the asteroid, named Leona, through the eclipse. The size and duration of the eclipse are uncertain, but it is expected to last no more than 15 seconds. Betelgeuse, a red supergiant, is thousands of times brighter and larger than our sun and is expected to go supernova within 100,000 years.