Astronomers finally discover his hidden companion star!

Imagine that one of the most famous stars in the night sky. In addition, has kept a secret for millennia. Similarly, Bételgeuse. Consequently, this red giant who sparkles in Orion’s shoulder, has finally revealed her best kept mystery: she is not alone. Furthermore, A team of NASA astronomers has managed to directly detect their stellar companion, invisible until then.

A star that defies the laws of chance – Astronomers finally discover his hidden – Astronomers finally discover his hidden new

For centuries. Consequently, Bételgeuse has intrigued scientists by its capricious behavior. Similarly, This supergeant red. However, located about 650 light years from the earth, has regular variations in brightness on a cycle of about six years. Meanwhile, A phenomenon so precise that it seemed impossible to attribute it to cosmic chance alone.

Theorists had long astronomers finally discover his hidden new advanced the hypothesis of a hidden stellar companion. Similarly, an invisible star which could explain astronomers finally discover his hidden these periodic fluctuations. Similarly, But to prove this theory was under the insurmountable technical challenge. Moreover, How to detect a weak stellar glow drowned in the dazzling sparkle of one of the brightest stars in. Furthermore, the sky?

A revolutionary technological feat – Astronomers finally discover his hidden – Astronomers finally discover his hidden new

The solution came from the Gemini Nord telescope. Meanwhile, its “Alopeke” instrument – a name which means “fox” in Hawaiian. Similarly, This imagery uses a sophisticated technique called Speckle imaging, capable of “freezing” atmospheric distortions thanks to ultra-fast exhibitions.

Steve Howell. scientist of NASA Ames who led the team. explains that this technology makes it possible to obtain images of exceptional clarity. Combined with the giant mirror of 8.1 meters from the telescope, it made it astronomers finally discover his hidden new possible: observing the companion of Bételgeuse directly.

This discovery represents an absolute first in modern astronomy. Never before has such a close stellar companion has astronomers finally discover his hidden been detected directly around a. red supergeant.

A stellar torque with extraordinary characteristics

The revealed companion has fascinating characteristics. Six times less luminous than Bételgeuse in visible light. it is probably a young star type A. B-a hot-white-colored star which has not yet started to merge hydrogen into its heart.

With a mass equivalent to 1.5 times that of our sun, this star evolves in an extraordinary environment. Its orbit is placed only four times the Bételgeuse Earth-Sun distance. which means that it literally navigates inside the extended atmosphere of the supergeant.

This extreme proximity explains why she had remained undetectable so far. Imagine a lit candle next to a lighthouse: this astronomers finally discover his hidden new is the challenge represented by this observation.

The mystery of light variations finally resolved

This discovery. reported in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Finally, provides an answer to the secular mystery of the variations of betelgeuse. The gravitational interaction between the two stars creates disturbances in the atmosphere of the red giant. causing these cyclical light changes that intrigued astronomers.

The timing of this discovery is not trivial. It occurs a few years after the famous “Grand Dimming” of 2019-2020. when Bételgeuse had lost a significant part of its astronomers finally discover his hidden new brightness, fueling speculation on an imminent supernova. This astronomers finally discover his hidden event. finally attributed to a cloud of dust, had revived scientific interest in this emblematic star.

A spectacular cosmic future

The story of this stellar couple promises a dramatic outcome. Bételgeuse. at the end of his life. should explode in supernova in the next 100,000 years – a beat of eyelashes on a cosmic scale. But his companion will experience an even more immediate fate.

The titanic gravitational forces of the supergeant inexorably attract the little star towards her. In around 10. 000 years, this attraction will cause a spectacular fusion between the two stars, creating a cosmic event of incredible violence.

A unique observation window

Astronomers are impatiently awaiting November 2027. the date on which the companion will reach its maximum separation from Bételgeuse. This astronomers finally discover his hidden new optimal configuration will offer the best opportunity to study in detail the dynamics astronomers finally discover his hidden. of this exceptional couple.

This discovery opens up new perspectives on the evolution of massive stars and their interactions with their companions. It also demonstrates the power of modern observation technologies, capable of revealing cosmic secrets kept for millennia.

Martin Still. director of the Gemini Observatory program. stresses that this major advance perfectly illustrates the potential of current astronomical tools to resolve secular puzzles.

Bételgeuse was therefore not the solitary that we thought we knew. She has been dancing for eons with a discreet partner. in a cosmic waltz which will end with an apocalyptic fusion. A lesson in humility on all that the universe still keeps secret.