Supernova Alert: We Will Soon See an Exploding Star in the Night Sky

Betelgeuse supernova is one of the most awaited astronomical events. Lying about 650 light years away, Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star on its deathbed. It is in its carbon-burning phase. Earlier, it was believed that the star would go supernova in the next 100,000 years or so. However, a new study shows that we have significantly underestimated the size of Betelgeuse and its evolution timeline. According to new research, the star may seem to explode within the next few decades, instead of hundreds of thousands of years.

But how did scientists come to this conclusion? What evidence do they have to back up their idea? Finally, and most importantly, what would happen if the light from Betelgeuse's supernova reaches us while we're still around?

The 63rd episode of the Sunday Discovery Series answers all these questions in detail.

All Episodes Of The Series: https://bit.ly/369kG4p
Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M

RESEARCH PAPER:
The evolutionary stage of Betelgeuse inferred from its pulsation periods, Saio et al. - https://bit.ly/3N6oVQ4

Created By and Written By: Rishabh Nakra
Narrated By: Jeffrey Smith