Accessibility links
Why Betelgeuse, A Star In Orion, Is Getting Dimmer : Short Wave Okay, it wouldn't technically be an explosion. And if it's "about" to happen, it already happened. About 650 years ago. We'll explain, with astronomer Emily Levesque, who studies massive stars at the University of Washington. Follow Short Wave's Emily Kwong on Twitter @emilykwong1234. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

Short Wave

A Star In Orion Is Dimming. Is It About To Explode?

A Star In Orion Is Dimming. Is It About To Explode?

Listen · 10:44
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/793129294/793445118" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Enlarge this image

To find Betelgeuse, first locate Orion's belt. Betelgeuse is the star up and to the left, at Orion's left shoulder (from your perspective). Malcolm Park/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Malcolm Park/Getty Images

To find Betelgeuse, first locate Orion's belt. Betelgeuse is the star up and to the left, at Orion's left shoulder (from your perspective).

Malcolm Park/Getty Images

Okay, it wouldn't technically be an explosion. And if it's "about" to happen, it already happened. About 650 years ago. We'll explain, with astronomer Emily Levesque, who studies massive stars at the University of Washington. Follow Short Wave's Emily Kwong on Twitter @emilykwong1234. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Brent Baughman and edited by Viet Le.