Possibility of Betelgeuse exploding in near future

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In summary, Simfishy is a new member of the forum and is only 14 years old. They are interested in science and are willing to contribute to the forum. They ask if there are any newbie guidelines and express their love for asking questions. They ask about the probability of Betelgeuse exploding in a supernova and the potential effects it could have. They also ask about the mass and fate of other red supergiants compared to Betelgeuse.
  • #1
Simfish
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Hi,

If you don't already know me, I am Simfishy, and am new to the forum. I am only 14 year old, and an amateur in the field of Science; so I don't know very much about many of the more complex fields. However, I will try to contribute to the forum with what I know, and if I am doing something that you don't all like, then feeel free to send me a private message! I do have experience forumming n other forums (especially HeavenGames), so my behavior isn't too eccentric, but might not necessarily be appropriate enough yet for this forum. Are there any newbie guidelines that many newbies overlook that I should pay meticulous attention to?

By the way, I love to ask questions; so please be prepared to answer them for me! Thanks! I'll try to be as much of a amicable newbie as possible! :)

Now, to my question.. What do you think is the probability of Betelgeuse exploding in a supernovae in the near future? While Betelgeuse isn't an extreme Cepheid variable yet, its magnitude does vary a bit, and it's only going to get more volatile with time. Additionally, if it does explode in a supernovae, then what do you think the effects are going to be for us? It is only 500 light years away, but violent supernovae explosions can release a burst of radiation that could still be potentially dangerous to life.

Also, how does Betelgeuse compare in mass to other red supergiants, like Antares or Eta Carinae? Would an supernovae of Betelgeuse pale in comparision to the supernovae of other red supergiants; or would it be more magnificent? I don't think it would be as magnificent as the supernovae observed in 1987 would be, but Betelgeuse's proximity does give me the shivers. If Betelgeuse exploded, do you think that the core would become a neutron star?

----------------

Another question: Are blue, yellow, and white supergiants nearing the end of their lives, or are they young stars that are eventually going to turn into red supergiants like Betelgeuse as they run out of fuel in their cores? They're brighter than many main sequence stars, but also cooler. FOr instance, would do you think would be the fates of stars like Rigel, Polaris, etc?

----------------

Now, the last question...

I do know that stars like the Sun or Alpha Centauri A will turn into red giants when they're old like Capella, but not necessarily supergiants like Antares. However, what would be the fate of white stars more massive than the sun in the main sequence, like Sirius, Mizar, or Vega? Would they become supergiants, or would they just be giants more massive than the sun? Would only the very bright main sequence stars like Spica, Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak became supergiants?

Your responses will be greatly appreciated!

-Simfish
 
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  • #2
I'll try to answer some of your questions.
The difference between a giant and super giant is mass, According to one source, the dividing line is around 3 solar masses.

Betelgeuse and Antares are both about 15 solar masses, while Eta Carinae runs about 150 solar masses.

Vega, at about 3 solar masses sits right a the edge of ever becoming a super-giant, while Sirius and Mizar, at 2.5 Sm fall below the line and will only form giants.

The blue, white and yellow super-giants are young (and shortlived) stars.
 
  • #3
Good question Simfishy.

It's now beleived, after sn1987a, that red supergiants go into hotter "burning" phases before they go supernova. The timeline I've seen on Betelgeuse is " within the next 100,000 years". I've done some back of the envelope calculations on Betelgeuse based on sn1987a data and it would be spectacular but probably not fatal to life on Earth.
 
  • #4
Welcome aboard, Simfishy! :smile:

Originally posted by Simfishy
Are there any newbie guidelines that many newbies overlook that I should pay meticulous attention to?

Here are the general guidelines...
https://www.physicsforums.com/misc/guidelines.html [Broken]
Nothing specific for newbies. Judging from this one post, I think you'll do just fine. :smile:

Additionally, if it does explode in a supernovae, then what do you think the effects are going to be for us? It is only 500 light years away, but violent supernovae explosions can release a burst of radiation that could still be potentially dangerous to life.

Here's what astronomer Sten Odenwald (runs a good FAQ website) says...
http://itss.raytheon.com/cafe/qadir/q1380.html

If Betelgeuse exploded, do you think that the core would become a neutron star?

At 15 solar masses, it seems like Betelgeuse could either form a neutron star or a black hole.
http://itss.raytheon.com/cafe/qadir/q2660.html

Your responses will be greatly appreciated!

Hang on...more to come!
 
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  • #5
Thanks all! :) Additionally, I have yet another question to ponder...

When a star like Rigel becomes older, will it gradually become cooler, or will it suddenly become a red supergiant? (For instance, Polaris is a yellow supergiant, and is it approximately half-way in the evolutionary lifespan between Rigel and Betelgeuse?
 
  • #6
Simfish said:
Hi,

If you don't already know me, I am Simfishy, and am new to the forum. I am only 14 year old, and an amateur in the field of Science; so I don't know very much about many of the more complex fields. However, I will try to contribute to the forum with what I know, and if I am doing something that you don't all like, then feeel free to send me a private message! I do have experience forumming n other forums (especially HeavenGames), so my behavior isn't too eccentric, but might not necessarily be appropriate enough yet for this forum. Are there any newbie guidelines that many newbies overlook that I should pay meticulous attention to?

By the way, I love to ask questions; so please be prepared to answer them for me! Thanks! I'll try to be as much of a amicable newbie as possible! :)

Now, to my question.. What do you think is the probability of Betelgeuse exploding in a supernovae in the near future? While Betelgeuse isn't an extreme Cepheid variable yet, its magnitude does vary a bit, and it's only going to get more volatile with time. Additionally, if it does explode in a supernovae, then what do you think the effects are going to be for us? It is only 500 light years away, but violent supernovae explosions can release a burst of radiation that could still be potentially dangerous to life.

Also, how does Betelgeuse compare in mass to other red supergiants, like Antares or Eta Carinae? Would an supernovae of Betelgeuse pale in comparision to the supernovae of other red supergiants; or would it be more magnificent? I don't think it would be as magnificent as the supernovae observed in 1987 would be, but Betelgeuse's proximity does give me the shivers. If Betelgeuse exploded, do you think that the core would become a neutron star?

----------------

Another question: Are blue, yellow, and white supergiants nearing the end of their lives, or are they young stars that are eventually going to turn into red supergiants like Betelgeuse as they run out of fuel in their cores? They're brighter than many main sequence stars, but also cooler. FOr instance, would do you think would be the fates of stars like Rigel, Polaris, etc?

----------------

Now, the last question...

I do know that stars like the Sun or Alpha Centauri A will turn into red giants when they're old like Capella, but not necessarily supergiants like Antares. However, what would be the fate of white stars more massive than the sun in the main sequence, like Sirius, Mizar, or Vega? Would they become supergiants, or would they just be giants more massive than the sun? Would only the very bright main sequence stars like Spica, Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak became supergiants?

Your responses will be greatly appreciated!

-Simfish

U at such a young age have a great interest and potential towards the subject.By the way,Betelgeuse is a star which's the size of a football compared to sun which can be approximated to the size of an ant.hence considering the distance parameter! the star would've already exploded but we may receive the information about it's explosion in the mere future. No one can predict the star's behavior at present instant.
Now coming to the explosion part...Betelgeuse's explosion may cause blockage of the sun's light ...this massive explosion of the star causes sudden burst of radiation which acts as a temporary sun for us on earth.! this supernova can last for several weeks.
i hope I've answered your question
your previous answer is greatly appreciated ...well done in such a young age
-Badri narayan
 
  • #7
Badri narayan said:
U at such a young age have a great interest and potential towards the subject.By the way,Betelgeuse is a star which's the size of a football compared to sun which can be approximated to the size of an ant.hence considering the distance parameter! the star would've already exploded but we may receive the information about it's explosion in the mere future. No one can predict the star's behavior at present instant.
Now coming to the explosion part...Betelgeuse's explosion may cause blockage of the sun's light ...this massive explosion of the star causes sudden burst of radiation which acts as a temporary sun for us on earth.! this supernova can last for several weeks.
i hope I've answered your question
your previous answer is greatly appreciated ...well done in such a young age
-Badri narayan

Antreas is a star that is approximately 1.5times the size of betelgeuse...these stars can not be compared with the sun as our sun is just in its main sequence stage while antreas n betelgeuse are super giants...
the explosion of Betelgeuse can be comparable to other super giants...it may not only be red super giants.its obvious that such huge stars die forming neutron stars...n i m sorry i too do not know the answer to your last question.
-Badri narayan
 
  • #9
This thread is 7.5 years old.
 

1. What is Betelgeuse and why is it important to study its possibility of exploding?

Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star located in the constellation of Orion. It is one of the largest and brightest stars in the night sky, making it an important object of study for astronomers. Its potential explosion could have significant implications for our understanding of stellar evolution and the fate of our own Sun.

2. Is there evidence that Betelgeuse is at risk of exploding in the near future?

While there has been speculation about Betelgeuse's potential explosion, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that it will happen in the near future. Its varying brightness and changes in its shape have led some to theorize that it may be nearing the end of its life, but more research is needed to confirm this.

3. What would happen if Betelgeuse were to explode?

If Betelgeuse were to explode, it would release an enormous amount of energy and produce a supernova. This would make it one of the brightest objects in the night sky and potentially visible during the day. It could also have effects on the surrounding environment, such as triggering the formation of new stars and dispersing elements necessary for life.

4. How close would Betelgeuse's explosion need to be for it to have a significant impact on Earth?

Even if Betelgeuse were to explode, its distance from Earth (approximately 600 light years) means that the impact on our planet would be minimal. The most significant effects would likely be an increase in radiation and cosmic rays, but these would not pose a significant threat to life on Earth.

5. What are scientists doing to monitor Betelgeuse and its possibility of exploding?

Astronomers are constantly observing Betelgeuse using various telescopes and instruments, including the Hubble Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array. They are also monitoring its brightness and changes in its shape to better understand its behavior and any potential signs of an impending explosion.

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