Astronomers Discover What May Be Shaping Betelgeuse’s Strange Atmosphere

Bedtime Astronomy

ALMA has revealed that Betelgeuse’s atmosphere is far more chaotic and asymmetric than expected. Giant hotspots and shifting convection may even be influenced by a smaller companion star orbiting the red supergiant.

The discovery offers a new glimpse into the turbulent final stages of massive stars.

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ALMA has revealed that Betelgeuse’s atmosphere is far more chaotic and asymmetric than expected. Giant hotspots and shifting convection may even be influenced by a smaller companion star orbiting the red supergiant.

The discovery offers a new glimpse into the turbulent final stages of massive stars.

Thank you for listening to Bedtime Astronomy — your guide to the cosmos. New episodes on space exploration, NASA missions & the latest astronomy breakthroughs.

This episode includes AI-generated content.
2026-09-14 18 min Transcript
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