Betelgeuse’s Hidden Binary Holds Clues to Its Inevitable Supernova
Betelgeuse, the bright red supergiant in Orion, will someday explode as a supernova but likely not for about 100,000 years. New observations strengthen the case that Betelgeuse has a binary companion (Betelgeuse B) hidden in its glare, which could influence its evolution. When it finally collapses, the explosion will unleash an enormous energy burst—mostly in the form of neutrinos—and could heat and strip some mass from the companion, though both stars would largely survive. Earth’s distance would likely keep the event from being catastrophic, but many details about the system and timing remain uncertain.
