Alpha Orionis -

Betelgeuse is a , meaning its brightness fluctuates over time.

In late 2019 and early 2020, it experienced a historic drop in brightness, eventually attributed to a massive surface mass ejection that cooled into an obscuring dust cloud. alpha orionis

If placed at the center of our solar system, it would engulf the orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, likely extending past Jupiter's orbit . Betelgeuse is a , meaning its brightness fluctuates

Despite being only about 8 to 10 million years old —much younger than our 4.6-billion-year-old Sun—its massive size caused it to evolve rapidly. Despite being only about 8 to 10 million

Usually the 10th brightest star in the night sky, its magnitude typically ranges from +0.0 to +1.3 .

(α Orionis), famously known as Betelgeuse , is a massive red supergiant marking the western shoulder of the constellation Orion . It is one of the largest and most luminous stars visible to the naked eye. Physical Characteristics

A red supergiant nearing the end of its life cycle.