"Don't panic! Betelgeuse is not likely to undergo a supernova explosion anytime soon," says South Korean research astronomer Bum-Suk Yeom. "The red supergiant star Betelgeuse appears to have finally stopped its unprecedented dimming. It's been brightening over the last few days." Yoem assembled this light curve from data collected by American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO):
According to the data, Betelegeuse reached its minimum brightness between Feb. 12th and 14th, and now it is slowly brightening again.
This development was actually predicted. Ed Guinan and Richard Wasatonic of Villanova University recently suggested that Betelgeuse might "bounce back" within a week of Feb. 21st. Their prediction was based on a Fourier analysis of Betelgeuse's light curve, which revealed a strong 430-day period. If the current dimming was just an unusually deep dip in Betelgeuse's natural 430-day variability, they reasoned, its brightness should start to increase again on Feb 21st +/- 7 days.
Their prediction seems to be coming true. However, it is too early to draw a firm conclusion because the turnaround--if that is indeed what is happening---is still in its early stages.
www.spaceweather.com
This development was actually predicted. Ed Guinan and Richard Wasatonic of Villanova University recently suggested that Betelgeuse might "bounce back" within a week of Feb. 21st. Their prediction was based on a Fourier analysis of Betelgeuse's light curve, which revealed a strong 430-day period. If the current dimming was just an unusually deep dip in Betelgeuse's natural 430-day variability, they reasoned, its brightness should start to increase again on Feb 21st +/- 7 days.
Their prediction seems to be coming true. However, it is too early to draw a firm conclusion because the turnaround--if that is indeed what is happening---is still in its early stages.
www.spaceweather.com
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