Astronomers Confirm Betelgeuse Has a Hidden Companion Star

Astronomers have confirmed that Betelgeuse has a tiny companion star, called BetelBuddy, which helps explain its unusual dimming patterns. Using speckle imaging with the Gemini North telescope, they identified the young star, likely born at the same time as Betelgeuse, and observed its characteristics. This discovery sheds light on Betelgeuse's variability and provides insights into its future, including its eventual engulfment by the larger star within the next 10,000 years.