Betelgeuse is the eighth brightest star in the night sky and second brightest in the constellation of Orion, only rarely outshining Rigel. It is a distinctly reddish, semiregular variable star whose apparent magnitude varies between 0.2 and 1.2, the widest range of any first- magnitude star. Betelgeuse's name is thought to be derived from the Arabic يد الجوزاء Yad al-Jauzā' meaning "the Hand of al- Jauzā'", i.e., Orion. It is classified as a red supergiant of spectral type M2Iab and is one of the largest and most luminous known stars. If positioned at the center of the Solar System, its surface would extend past the asteroid belt, possibly beyond the orbit of Jupiter, at least wholly engulfing Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Less than 10 million years old, Betelgeuse has evolved rapidly due to its high mass. Ejected from its birthplace in the Orion OB1 Association, this crimson runaway has been observed moving through the interstellar medium supersonically at a speed of 30 km/sec, creating a bow shock over 4 light-years wide. Now in a late stage of stellar evolution, the supergiant is expected to proceed through its life cycle before exploding as a type II supernova within the next million years.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betelgeuse
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1805:
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, the longest and highest aqueduct in Great Britain, opened. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontcysyllte_Aqueduct
1917:
Unable to resolve disputes with Eddie Livingstone, owner of the Toronto Blueshirts, the other ice hockey clubs of Canada's National Hockey Association officially agreed to leave that sports league and to form a new one: the National Hockey League. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hockey_League
1922:
Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon became the first people to enter the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in over 3,000 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KV62
1983:
Six robbers broke into the Brink's-MAT warehouse at London Heathrow Airport and stole three tonnes of gold bullion, much of which has never been recovered. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brink%27s-MAT_robbery
2011:
U.S.-led NATO forces engaged Pakistani security forces at two Pakistani military checkposts along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border in a friendly fire incident. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_NATO_attack_in_Pakistan
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
frounce: 1. To curl. 2. To crease, wrinkle. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/frounce
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
I know nothing of man's rights, or woman's rights; human rights are all that I recognise. --Sarah Grimké https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sarah_Grimk%C3%A9