Skip to main content

Featured

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...

SpaceX and CO2

SpaceX is Hoping to Turn Atmospheric CO2 Into Rocket Fuel

SpaceX is still building and testing its Starship prototypes, and we could see them fly to orbit in 2022. Each rocket is enormous and contains a huge volume of methane fuel for propellant that'll add tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere with each launch. Elon Musk recently announced that SpaceX would attempt to use a chemical process to extract carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and use this to manufacture methane at the rocket launch site. Although the process works, nobody's ever tried making it at this scale.

Read the full story by Matt Williams



Comments