Betelgeuse's mysterious spin could be a cosmic illusion caused by its enormous 'boiling' surface

[Judi Lynn]

By Harry Baker published 3 hours ago

The gigantic star Betelgeuse, which could be close to exploding, has previously been seen spinning much faster than it should be. However, a new study suggests that these observations were misinterpreted because of the star's shape-shifting surface.



looped video footage of a simulation of betelgeuse's undulating surface
New simulations show how Betelgeuse's "boiling" surface may undulate as blobs of plasma rise and fall. (Image credit: MPA/Ma, Jing-Ze et al)

Scientists may have finally solved the mystery of why the gigantic, dying star Betelgeuse appears to be spinning faster than is theoretically possible. What scientists previously interpreted as rapid rotation may actually be an optical illusion caused by the behemoth's "boiling" surface, a new study argues.
Betelgeuse is only around 10 million years old, which makes it a stellar infant compared with stars like the sun, which is more than 4.6 billion years old. Despite its young age, Betelgeuse is already on the verge of dying; it has burned up most of its reserves of hydrogen because it's so much hotter and more massive than other stars.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/betelgeuses-mysterious-spin-could-be-a-cosmic-illusion-caused-by-its-enormous-boiling-surface