Betelgeuse, the red shoulder of Orion, lost more than half its brightness over a few months. People wondered if it was about to explode. Astronomers found it had burped out a cloud of dust that blocked its light.
Truth label: Established. Strong evidence and broad agreement among experts.
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A future supernova
Betelgeuse will explode one day, but probably not for around 100,000 years.
When it goes
It will shine as bright as the half Moon for weeks and be visible in daylight.
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- Huge. If it sat where the Sun is, it would swallow the orbits of Mars and possibly Jupiter.
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Why did Betelgeuse dim?
A dust cloud. A cloud of dust it released blocked its light.
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