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Updated information on Betelguese based on new information released.
The [[UC Berkeley|UC Berkeley's]] Infrared Spatial Interferometer (ISI) atop Mt. Wilson Observatory in Southern [[California]] collected evidence over 15 consecutive years, showing the star is constantly contracting<ref>http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/06/09/red.giant.star.betelgeuse.mysteriously.shrinking</ref>. The star is estimated to have shrunk 15 percent in size since 1993 and the rate of contraction is increasing, the total observed contraction is equal to half an astronomical unit, or equivalent of the distance of Venus from the sun<ref>http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/06/09_betelim.shtml</ref>. It is speculated this is the behavior expected for a star that has reached the end of it's life and the beginning of gravitational collapse. because of the mass of Betelgeuse, the result of a supernova explosion will be either a [[neutron star]] or even a [[black hole]].
The [[UC Berkeley|UC Berkeley's]] Infrared Spatial Interferometer (ISI) atop Mt. Wilson Observatory in Southern [[California]] collected evidence over 15 consecutive years, showing the star is constantly contracting<ref>http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/06/09/red.giant.star.betelgeuse.mysteriously.shrinking</ref>. The star is estimated to have shrunk 15 percent in size since 1993 and the rate of contraction is increasing, the total observed contraction is equal to half an astronomical unit, or equivalent of the distance of Venus from the sun<ref>http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/06/09_betelim.shtml</ref>. It is speculated this is the behavior expected for a star that has reached the end of it's life and the beginning of gravitational collapse. because of the mass of Betelgeuse, the result of a supernova explosion will be either a [[neutron star]] or even a [[black hole]].
Updated high resolutions images of Betelgeuse obtained by the [[Very Large Telescope]] in [[Chile]] in July 2009, revealed new evidence that Betelgeuse is rapidly shedding mass. A large gas plume is shown to be surrounding the star.<ref>http://www.eso.org/gallery/v/ESOPIA/Stars/phot-27b-09-fullres.tif.html</ref> If the plume was in our solar system, it would extend to the orbit of [[Jupiter]]. The plume is viewed as further evidence by scientists the star is very near the end of its life.<ref>http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap090805.html</ref>
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]