Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star which lies in the constellation of Orion at a distance of approximately 700 light years from the solar system. It is among the brightest stars in the observable universe and is easily recognized as the vivid red star in the constellation of Orion, which corresponds to the left shoulder of the hunter. Betelgeuse has a radius of about one thousand times that of the Sun, and is in a stage just before a supernova. It is a supergiant that has gone through the hydrogen fuel at its core then expanded to the current large size.

This expansion means that Betelgeuse is in the last phase of stellar evolution and is set to go supernova in less than 100,000 years, astronomically a blink of an eye. When it does go supernova, which could happen in the next few hundred thousands

of years, it will become very bright, and could be bright enough to be seen in the daytime, even outshining the Moon. Astronomers investigate Betelgeuse for any indication of this impending explosion especially because it has displayed some periods of dimming in the recent past making it a topic of debate and curiosity.

The final phase of the star’s evolution will be a supernova event, which will give astronomers the chance to observe such phenomena in more detail and understand the life cycle of stars and the synthesis of heavy elements in the universe.

If Betelgeuse, the red supergiant star, were to go supernova right now, we would get to see a show of the millennium. The sky would be burning and the night become as light as the day time. Betelgeuse is going to go supernova – that much is definitive. However, scientists cannot be quite sure whether “shortly” means tomorrow or in a thousand years!

It is also possible that Betelgeuse has already exploded and we have not even realized it yet!