Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse! Astronomers Capture Clearest Image yet of Famous Star's Elusive Companion
The star, called Betelgeuse B, appears to weigh 2 to 3 times the Sun and could help explain Betelgeuse’s unusual brightness changes.
- On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, researchers published the clearest image ever of Betelgeuse B, a star orbiting the red supergiant Betelgeuse. Lead researcher Miguel Montargès of the Observatoire de Paris confirmed the discovery using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope.
- Astronomers proposed the existence of this companion around 100 years ago to explain Betelgeuse's strange dimming, observed for over 1,000 years. This discovery brings scientists closer to identifying Betelgeuse as a binary system.
- Data reveals Betelgeuse B has around two to three times the mass of the sun. Co-author Anthony Boccaletti said the SPHERE instrument can "excel at detecting a companion around a massive, evolved star."
- Researchers must observe it in one year on the star's opposite side to be certain, Montargès stated. The team is investigating if the companion influences Betelgeuse's anticipated supernova explosion.
- Montargès called the findings the "conclusion of a century-long quest," noting he was surprised by the detection sensitivity. Scientists will continue studying how this companion might shape the red supergiant's future.
36 Articles
36 Articles
The ancient Egyptians had already noticed that the brightness of the star Beteigeuze changed. Astronomers have now found out why.
Supergiant Betelgeuse's smaller companion star imaged
Having shown the massive star Betelgeuse as an indistinct blob, astronomers at the Very Large Telescope in the Atacama Desert have now imaged its long-suspected companion star, proving that the bloated supergiant is not alone. "This is the conclusion of a century-long quest," wrote Miguel Montargès of the Observatoire de Paris. — Read the rest The post Supergiant Betelgeuse's smaller companion star imaged appeared first on Boing Boing.
Astronomers Directly Image Betelgeuse’s Long-Suspected Stellar Companion
After a century of speculation, astronomers using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) have captured the clearest evidence yet that the red supergiant Betelgeuse is orbited by a faint companion star. The post Astronomers Directly Image Betelgeuse’s Long-Suspected Stellar Companion appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Joo-young = The red supergiant of Orion, one of the most prominent red stars in the winter night sky ...
New telescopic images provide the strongest indication of a companion of beteigeuze with up to three solar masses.
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