New ALMA images show turbulent surface of Betelgeuse
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array captured new detailed images of the red supergiant Betelgeuse, revealing bright hotspots and a corrugated surface from shifting plasma. The star, about 600 light-years away, has an atmosphere around 2,030 degrees Celsius, with some regions even hotter. These observations provide a fresh look at the star that may eventually go supernova.
The new ALMA observations, taken in 2023, reveal Betelgeuse’s surface as a roiling patchwork of bright hotspots and corrugated plasma, with temperatures reaching roughly 2,560°C in the hottest zones. Intriguingly, a hotspot in the northeast has persisted since 2015, defying stellar models that predicted such features would fade within a few years. This longevity hints at stable convective cells or an unseen companion’s gravitational influence, and the hotspot’s orientation aligns with prior evidence of a binary partner. Astronomers plan continued monitoring to link these surface dynamics to mass loss and atmospheric structure, keeping watch until the star’s eventual supernova.
These images could reshape public understanding of stellar life cycles, especially since Betelgeuse’s earlier dimming sparked widespread speculation about an imminent explosion. By showing a slowly evolving, turbulent surface rather than a star on the brink, the findings may temper apocalyptic narratives and encourage more nuanced science communication. For researchers, the persistent hotspot offers a rare testbed for convection models, potentially refining predictions of how massive stars shed mass and end their lives. Society benefits from such clarity, though the star’s ultimate fate remains a distant, awe-inspiring unknown.