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Astronomers Discover Betelgeuse's Past Position
New Hubble Data Reveals Star's Motion
Implications for Understanding Stellar Evolution
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered that the bright red star Betelgeuse, located in the constellation Orion, was once much further from the plane of our galaxy than it is today. This finding, published in the journal Nature, provides new insights into the star's motion and evolution.
Betelgeuse is a massive star that is nearing the end of its life. It is one of the brightest stars in the night sky and is easily recognizable as the red "shoulder" of the hunter Orion. By observing Betelgeuse in ultraviolet light, the Hubble Space Telescope can get a close look at the hot layers of atmosphere above the star's surface.
By studying the motion of these hot layers, astronomers have been able to determine that Betelgeuse is moving at a speed of about 30 kilometers per second. This speed is much faster than the average speed of stars in the Milky Way, which is about 20 kilometers per second.
The astronomers also found that Betelgeuse's motion is not constant. The star is moving in a loop, and the astronomers estimate that it takes about 2,000 years to complete one loop. This loop motion is likely caused by the star's interaction with the gravitational field of the Milky Way.
The new findings about Betelgeuse's motion have implications for understanding the star's evolution. The astronomers believe that the star was once much more massive than it is today. Over time, the star has lost mass through stellar winds and other processes. This mass loss has caused the star to become less dense and to move faster.
The astronomers' findings also provide new insights into the formation of the Milky Way. By studying the motion of stars like Betelgeuse, astronomers can better understand how the galaxy has evolved over time.
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