Scientists found that a companion star named Siwarha is moving through the outer layers of the red star Betelgeuse. Researchers used powerful telescopes over five years to map the atmosphere. This movement disturbs the gas, which might explain the mysterious Great Dimming that happened to the star in 2019-2020.
It turns out Betelgeuse, the bright red star you can spot in Orion, has a secret: another star, called Siwarha, is actually moving through its atmosphere and messing with its outer layers.
Scientists figured this out after five years of close observation using some seriously powerful telescopes.
By mapping Betelgeuse's atmosphere, researchers found a cool layer called the "MOLsphere" filled with molecular gas.
As Siwarha orbits and appears to be traveling through Betelgeuse's atmosphere, it could push through the surrounding gas, with the resulting wake potentially disturbing the atmosphere and changing the shape of Betelgeuse's atmosphere.
This discovery could help scientists better understand how massive stars interact, especially after the mysterious "Great Dimming" of Betelgeuse back in 2019-2020 had everyone guessing.