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Star Betelgeuse - A red supergiant in the constellation Orion

One fascinating star is Betelgeuse, a red supergiant located in the constellation Orion. Here are some intriguing facts about it: 1. Size and Volume: Betelgeuse is immense—if placed at the center of our solar system, it would extend past the orbit of Mars. 2. Variability: It is a pulsating variable star, meaning its brightness changes over time; it has been observed to vary in brightness over several months. 3. Life Cycle: Betelgeuse is nearing the end of its life cycle and is expected to explode as a supernova within the next million years, a relatively short time in astrophysical terms. 4. Distance: It is located approximately 640 light-years away from Earth. 5. Cultural Significance: Betelgeuse has been significant in many cultures and is commonly referred to as the “Shoulder of the Hunter” in the constellation Orion. 6. Color Indicator: Its reddish hue signifies a cooler surface temperature compared to other stars, which gives it a distinctive appearance. Betelgeuse con

Zwicky Transient Facility nabs several supernovae a night

The results are rolling in from Caltech's newest state-of-the-art sky-surveying camera, which began operations at the Palomar Observatory in March 2018. Called the Zwicky Transient Facility, or ZTF, the new instrument has so far discovered 50 small near-Earth asteroids and more than 1,100 supernovae, and it has observed more than 1 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. One of the near-Earth asteroids discovered by ZTF, called 2019 AQ3, has an orbital period of just 165 days, the shortest known "year" for any asteroid.

from Astronomy News - Space News, Exploration News, Earth Science News, Earth Science http://bit.ly/2UNchZk

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