September '24

Let us leave aside the nomenclature and the fact that this cosmic pipsqueak weighs as much as a thousand of our splendid Suns. We care that this supergiant star is red. Colours is what we are all about. And not just us. Who would have thought that astronomers, people who constantly stare into the black abyss of space, are most fascinated by colours. They pay special attention to spectral lines, these unique “fingerprints” of the various elements.

This phenomenon proves that the red beauty Betelgeuse is the true Iron Lady. Its impressive gravity can crush not only the dainty hydrogen atoms, as our Sun can, but also those of heavier elements such as carbon or, with some exertion, iron. The last one slows down atomic fusion and, as a result, gives the star its red tint.

This cooling giant will soon collapse under her own weight. The pressure in her core is increasing, which will result in the biggest explosion possible, that of a supernova. Many such phenomena flicker on the vast canvas of our universe, but very few do so in our cosmic front yard, visible by the naked eye.

Betelgeuse is as ready as can be for her cosmic finale. Experts excitedly agree that the iron-sparkling explosion will surely illuminate our planet sometime between tomorrow and September of the year 102 024. In cosmic terms, that is a blink of an eye.