Betelgeuse Betelgeuse Betelgeuse… (Or, What is going on with Betelgeuse?)

by Dr. Stella Kafka, Director of the American Association
of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)

Saturday, May 2nd @ 3:00 PM via Zoom
Email kathys5@cox.net for Zoom Meeting link and information. Members will be emailed a link and password for this presentation at 2:00PM on May 2nd.

In October 2019 astronomers noticed that Betelgeuse entered one of its dimming episodes. Nothing unusual, until Betelgeuse kept dimming past its known recorded minimum brightness. From the 7th brightest star in the sky, Betelgeuse eventually became the 21st, puzzling astronomers worldwide. This notable change in the star’s behavior gave rise to a multitude of theories for its dimming, including a speculation on whether Betelgeuse has reached its fateful end as a supernova. Thanks to the AAVSO observers who continued to provide critical data on this bright star, we now have a good idea on the physical properties of the star, and an interpretation for its dimming. In this presentation, I will discuss focus on the 2019-2020 Betelgeuse event, presenting key theories and research outcomes explaining the event. 

Dr. Stella Kafka, is the Executive Director and CEO of the AAVSO* (American Association of Variable Star Observers), an international organization focusing on engaging professional and amateur astronomers in science. Within the auspices of the AAVSO, Dr Kafka is working towards enabling individuals from all backgrounds to actively participate in research projects, building a community of science-savvy citizens who work collectively to understand some of the most dynamic phenomena in the universe. 

Dr Kafka acquired her BSc in Physics from the University of Athens (Greece) and her MA/PhD in Astronomy from Indiana University (USA). Dr Kafka’s research interests is semi-detached binary star systems (cataclysmic variables) which can become supernovae Ia. More information on Dr Kafka can be found at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellakafka/

*The AAVSO is an international non-profit organization of variable star observers whose mission is to enable anyone, anywhere, to participate in scientific discovery through variable star astronomy.