It is unclear whether the asteroid will obscure the entire star, causing a total eclipse. The result could even be an annular eclipse, with a flaming rim around the star. If it is a total eclipse, astronomers are not sure how many seconds it will take for the star to disappear completely, perhaps within 10 seconds.
“It is not certain which scenario we will see, which makes this event even more interesting,” said astronomer Gianluca Massa, founder of the virtual telescope project that will provide a live broadcast over the Internet from Italy.
A star thousands of times brighter than the Sun
Betelgeuse is thousands of times brighter than the Sun and about 700 times larger. According to NASA, it is so massive that if it replaced our Sun, it would reach farther than Jupiter.
It is also much smaller than the Sun. It is only 10 million years old, while the age of the Sun is estimated at 4.6 billion years.
Scientists expect Betelgeuse to have a short lifespan, given its mass and the speed at which it burns through material. Most likely, within 100 thousand years, as a result of a violent explosion, the star will go into a supernova.
Echo Richards embodies a personality that is a delightful contradiction: a humble musicaholic who never brags about her expansive knowledge of both classic and contemporary tunes. Infuriatingly modest, one would never know from a mere conversation how deeply entrenched she is in the world of music. This passion seamlessly translates into her problem-solving skills, with Echo often drawing inspiration from melodies and rhythms. A voracious reader, she dives deep into literature, using stories to influence her own hardcore writing. Her spirited advocacy for alcohol isn’t about mere indulgence, but about celebrating life’s poignant moments.
