ALMA Reveals Long-Lived Hotspots on Betelgeuse's Bubbling Surface
Astronomers using the ALMA telescope have captured high-resolution images of Betelgeuse, revealing persistent hotspots on its surface. These findings challenge existing models of stellar convection by showing that these features remain stable for years.
Why it matters
Understanding the behavior of red supergiants provides critical insights into stellar evolution and the life cycles of massive stars.
Scientific Paper A remarkably detailed image obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) reveals the uneven surface of Betelgeuse, the famous red supergiant in the constellation Orion. The observations show bright hotspots and an irregular, corrugated outline shaped by the enormous motions taking place within the star.
Located roughly 600 light-years from Earth, Betelgeuse is one of the closest red supergiants and has a radius about 800 times that of the Sun. Its immense size makes it possible for ALMA to resolve structures across its atmosphere that would remain hidden in most other stars.
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