Betelgeuse

[StarryEyes]

Is it just me or has Betelgeuse (in Orion) seemed to be quite clearly redder than normal to the naked eye over the last few nights?

I noticed this a couple of evenings ago and it seems to be even more so tonight.

[Celeste]

I wouldn't know....not seen it darn clouds!!!

[LukeSkywatcher]

I have seen it naked eye for years and it often seems redder then normal. I'm sure this is all down to "seeing".

[roboticsound]

...If only it went supernova... a man can dream...

[StarryEyes]

Is this the one that is ready to go. I think it was on Stargazing Live that they said one could go any day.

[Starblazer]

Aye sometime in the next billion years or so lol....wouldn't hold your hopes up on that one

Indeed, when seeing is good it does seem redder.

[roboticsound]

Yeah but by any day what they really mean is some time in the next million years or something like that.

I wouldn't get too excited unfortunately.

[roboticsound]

lol just beaten to it

[Catanonia]

I used it as an alignment star last night and yes it was redder than normal in my opinon. Probably down to the visibility.

[rorschach]

had a proper look at it for the first time two days ago, it looked a reddy gold from here!

[markophoto]

Any day does mean any day. It could be right now that the light from it reaching us says 'supernova'.

Keep checking

[perrin6]

Betelgeuse is a pulsating variable star, varying between about 1.2 at it's dimmest to .2 at its brightest (according to wikipedia). Perhaps it has brightened recently??

[AndyH]

Now that you mention it.....

When I was out on Friday night, the seeing was very good, but transparency was poor(before the moon popped up) and I must admit it did seem redder than norm.

Andy.

[Mr Spock]

Looked normal to me...

[Psychobilly]

From the newspaper that brings you all things astro...

Betelgeuse to be second sun for Earth as supernova turns night into day | Mail Online

Billy...

[Gerontius]

Psychobilly, a similar story has appeared in today's Telegraph on line. Apparently the scientist claims it could go supernova towards the end of this year ...(or sometime in the next million)

[keef_uk]

depends what they mean 'any day' as i understand the concept of a LY if it went SN today we would not see if for about 600 years?

[Psychobilly]

Tis all over the webs newssites...

Billy...

[Starblazer]

Betelgeuse and 2012 | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine

there we go, nicely debunked.

Daily mail isn't a news paper, it's a propaganda, scaremongering, woman hating piece of trash. I'm all for freedom of the press, but not when it comes to scaremongering or saying that such n such is looking a little "chubby around the legs" or a "little worn down" or "looking frumpy" it's blumming disgraceful and it's a pity no-one has sued them yet for giving women complexes!

[Mr Spock]

Ah, the Daily Fail - must be true then