On The Death Star

Greetings, my fellow port swillers!

Ol’ Robbo got momentarily excited by this headline over at the Puppy-Blender’s place yesterday:  Betelgeuse Is Dimming Again.

I recall when the story originally surfaced last fall, complete with click-bait speculation that the Red Giant is on the cusp of going supernova.

Indeed, I even went outside on several evenings, looking up at Orion, and thinking. “Maybe,,,,,now!  Maaaaaybe,,,,,,,,now!”

You have to admit it would be a seriously spectacular thing to behold.

So, as I say, the headline caught my attention.

Alas, although the article reaffirms the speculation that Betelgeuse is, in fact, in its end-game, the article also has this to say:

But, although dramatic dimming is expected just before the Great Kaboom, this time is not quite yet upon us. It will be, astronomers predict, a few tens of thousands of years yet.

Aaawww, maaaan……

Scratch that one off the ol’ bucket list.

By the bye, I also recall the dinner conversation we had about this when it first bubbled up, in which I explained the concepts of “light speed” and “light-years” as a measurement, and the fact that the light we see from Betelgeuse now actually left it 700 years ago.  I don’t think I achieved Total Perspective Vortex status, but I do remember the looks of somewhat dizzy bewilderment as the Gels began to contemplate the staggering awfulness of interstellar distances.  (It seems to have made a particular impression on Youngest, and I can always tell when she’s thinking about it because of the particular way her eyes bug out.)