What is Betelgeuse?

About Betelgeuse:

• Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star that forms the left shoulder of the constellation of Orion.
• It is one of the brightest stars in the night sky and one of the largest stars ever discovered.
• The star is approximately 650 light-years from Earth.
• It is one of the largest known stars, measuring more than 700 million miles (1.2 billion kilometers) in diameter, 764 times as large as the Sun. 
• It is known for its periodic dimming and brightening up.

What is a Supernova?

• A supernova is the name given to the cataclysmic explosion of a massive star.
• They are the largest explosion that takes place in space.
• A star can go supernova in one of two ways:
  • Type I supernova: Star accumulates matter from a nearby neighbor until a runaway nuclear reaction ignites.
  • Type II supernova: Star runs out of nuclear fuel and collapses under its own gravity.
• It can emit more energy in a few seconds than our sun will radiate in its lifetime of billions of years.
• They're also the primary source of heavy elements in the universe.
• On average, a supernova will occur once every 50 years in a galaxy the size of the Milky Way.

 

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Q1) What is a Supernova?

A supernova is the name given to the cataclysmic explosion of a massive star. They are the largest explosion that takes place in space.

Source: Scientists think that a supernova is imminent every time the star grows brighter or dimmer.