S&T: Betelgeuse brightens

[notFritzArgelander]

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-n ... ETXxpV8cco

The infrared output has remained constant, comparatively.

[helicon]

The oscillations are caused by turbulence below the surface layers of the star that make it ring like a bell. They may also shift the position of or modify a large bright spot seen in photographs of the star, affecting a change in its brightness.

Well, this is fascinating. Betelgeuse appears to be turning a corner.

[John Fitzgerald]

I estimated Betelgeuse at magnitude 1.1 tonight 3/24/2020. It's a little brighter than Pollux and a bit fainter than Aldebaran. It's been cloudy for several nights in a row before this.

[helicon]

Thanks for the update. Been clouded out for a couple of weeks.

[John Fitzgerald]

Tonight, March 28, 2020, 9:15PM CDT: Betelgeuse looked to my eyes to be fully equal in brightness to Aldebaran, somewhere around magnitude 0.9. It seems to be brightening more rapidly (to me) than it faded. The next few weeks until it disappears in the sun's glare will be interesting.

[notFritzArgelander]

Thanks for the estimates of Betelgeuse's brightening. I haven't made a formal estimate but when I can catch a few moments it looks like it is indeed recovering.

The emission of a dust cloud could take a long time depending on what is driving it. The more rapid brightening is explainable in terms of the geometry of dust cloud dispersal and thinning along the line of sight.

[helicon]

Good to see that Betelgeuse is on the mend!!!