Want to see a star in close-up? Astronomers have produced one of the most detailed images of Betelgeuse we've ever seen

Key Points:

• A detailed close-up image of the red giant star Betelgeuse was captured by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, revealing its uneven surface, bright hotspots, and irregular outline.
• Betelgeuse, an aging star about 600 lightyears from Earth and 800 times the Sun's width, is nearing the end of its life and will eventually explode as a supernova, making its current appearance of great interest to astronomers.
• The 2023 observations show two hotter regions on Betelgeuse’s surface, with the brightest hotspot being 526°C hotter than surrounding areas, likely caused by convective motions where hot gas rises and generates shocks in the star's atmosphere.
• A comparison with 2015 ALMA data revealed that the prominent hotspot remained in nearly the same position and intensity for at least seven years, challenging theoretical models that predict shorter lifetimes for such convective structures.
• ALMA also detected up to 6% variation in Betelgeuse's apparent radius and observed faint emissions extending several stellar radii into its atmosphere, confirming the star's irregular and dynamic nature.