Researchers utilizing ALMA and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array examined multiple radio frequencies to map the distinct atmospheric depths of the supergiant. The data confirmed that the star's outer atmosphere has rebounded from the 2019–2020 Great Dimming, returning to temperatures near 3,500 Kelvin. Additionally, scientists identified an unexpectedly chilly MOLsphere layer residing beneath the chromosphere. Gas inside this molecular zone plunged to roughly 2,200 Kelvin, sitting well below the temperatures recorded at the star's visible surface.
Key points
Motion from the companion star Siwarha is actively warping and stretching the supergiant…: Motion from the companion star Siwarha is actively warping and stretching the supergiant star's vast gaseous atmosphere.
Outer atmospheric zones have largely recovered from the Great Dimming to reach temperatur…: Outer atmospheric zones have largely recovered from the Great Dimming to reach temperatures of roughly 3,500 Kelvin.
Atmospheric gas in the MOLsphere layer is more than 1,000 degrees cooler than the star's…: Atmospheric gas in the MOLsphere layer is more than 1,000 degrees cooler than the star's visible surface.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
- Date:
- November 3, 2026
- Source:
- ALMA
- Summary:
- Something mysterious is disturbing Betelgeuse, and astronomers believe they have identified the culprit: a hidden companion star called Siwarha. New radio observations reveal that the smaller star may be plowing through Betelgeuse’s enormous atmosphere, creating disturbances that subtly stretch and distort the red supergiant’s shape.
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Something unusual is happening inside the enormous atmosphere of Betelgeuse, one of the most recognizable stars in the night sky. Astronomers have detected subtle changes in the star's shape that suggest something is moving through its outer layers, disturbing the surrounding gas like an unseen visitor making noise inside a house. (Metaphorically speaking.) New observations point to a likely culprit: Siwarha, a recently discovered companion star that appears to be traveling through Betelgeuse's atmosphere.
Betelgeuse is a massive red supergiant located in the constellation Orion, where it forms the famous hunter's shoulder. Although the star has fascinated astronomers for generations, it attracted worldwide attention in late 2019 and early 2020 when its brightness unexpectedly plunged to its lowest recorded level…
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