Betelgeuse

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Betelgeuse

Betelgeuse , bright star in the constellation Orion ; Bayer designation α Orionis; 1992 position R.A. 5 ^h 54.8 ^m , Dec. +7°24′. A red supergiant with a luminosity about 13,000 times that of the sun, it is of spectral class M2 Iab. Betelgeuse is a semiregular variable star with apparent magnitude ranging from 0.06 to 0.75; thus, at maximum brightness it is one of the 10 brightest stars in the sky. Betelgeuse marks the right shoulder of Orion; its distance is about 500 light-years.

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Betelgeuse

A Dictionary of Astronomy | 1997 | Â© A Dictionary of Astronomy 1997, originally published by Oxford University Press 1997. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis) Red supergiant star, the second-brightest in the constellation of Orion. It is a pulsating variable whose diameter fluctuates between 300 to 400 times that of the Sun. Characteristics: apparent mag. 0.85 (mean); absolute mag. 25.5 (mean); spectral type M2; distance 500 light years.

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"Betelgeuse." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 25 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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