The renowned historian and astronomer of the Han dynasty in China once described a yellow Betelgeuse, which is the bright red “monster star” we see in the sky over 2,000 years later.
According to Sci-News, some ancient records have helped modern scientists fill in the mystifying portrait of Betelgeuse – the “red monster” that is easily visible to the naked eye and could soon illuminate the night sky of Earth as brightly as day.
Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star located in the constellation Orion, approximately 650 light-years away from us, but it is so large and bright that anyone can see it.
Betelgeuse during a material eruption from its photosphere that caused it to dim temporarily a few years ago – (Photo: ESO).
Betelgeuse has long been an intriguing puzzle for astronomers as it has repeatedly dimmed and brightened, showing clear signs of impending death. The death of a star results in a supernova explosion, which in the case of Betelgeuse, could be so powerful that it might create a light storm visible from Earth, akin to sunlight.
The exact timing of the explosion remains a subject of speculation and debate.
An international team of astronomers led by the University of Jena has sought to unveil the mystery surrounding Betelgeuse by gathering ancient records from Europe, the Mediterranean, West Asia, East Asia, and various ancient kingdoms around the world.
According to Professor Ralph Neuhäuser, the lead author of the study, the most notable record comes from the famous Han dynasty historian and astronomer Sima Qian. In a document over 2,100 years old, he described: “White like Sirius, red like Antares, yellow like Betelgeuse, blue like Bellatrix.”
Independently, the Roman scholar Hyginus described about 100 years after Sima Qian that Betelgeuse had a color similar to the orange-yellow of Saturn.
Other authors, including the Greek-Egyptian scholar Claudius Ptolemy (around 100 AD), provided many indications that Betelgeuse was not categorized among the red stars like Antares in the constellation Scorpius and Aldebaran in Taurus.
However, a record from the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe in the 16th century described Betelgeuse at that time as redder than Antares.
Red supergiant stars like Betelgeuse and Antares are stars that have entered the final stages of their lives; however, the recent color change, rapidly turning redder than other red stars, indicates how quickly Betelgeuse has evolved.
The results may help scientists more accurately pinpoint the expected end of Betelgeuse, a “cosmic bomb” just waiting to explode.
This research has just been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
