How will we observe the phenomenon?

One A rare phenomenon Those in one will be lucky enough to notice it Short list of countriesas one of the brightest stars seen from earth, betelgeuse, It will disappear from the sky for a few seconds. Among the lucky ones are those who will see the sky from certain parts of it Greece.

According to the site astronio.grIts disappearance is due to the fact that the asteroid “319 Leona» It will be found in the line of sight of Betelgeuse, Effectively causing a star eclipse.

It will be a stellar eclipse They can be seen from areas of Earth contained within a very thin band. this area It passes through our country The scene is expected to be visible from the regions of central and northern Greece.

How to notice this phenomenon

Betelgeuse is obscured by an asteroid It will take place in the early hours of December 12, at 03:17 Greek timeAnd it is appreciated It will not last more than 15 seconds. At that time, the Orion constellation will be in the southwest. You can easily spot it by finding three distinct stars lined up in the sky, close to each other, forming Orion’s Belt. Above the belt is Betelgeuse, a particularly bright red star, at 46°27; Above the horizon. Be sure to spot the constellation Orion and Betelgeuse a few minutes before the expected eclipse time so you know where to look to observe it.

It is worth noting that There is a great deal of uncertainty about the size of the asteroid. Besides, the outer layers of Betelgeuse’s atmosphere are very thin and extend far from its center It is not certain whether the asteroid will completely hide it or whether only the central area will be coveredas is the case with moon And the Helium During one Annular eclipse. There is a possibility, that is, just observing a significant decrease in the brightness of the star, without it completely “disappearing” from the sky.

The importance of the event

Through the eclipse event, astronomers will extract Valuable conclusions about asteroid 319 Leonawhere is she In the main asteroid belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It is estimated so far that the asteroid occurred An oval shape with dimensions of 80 x 55 kmOne astronomer after another also concluded that faint stars were hidden in it. But after Tuesday, it certainly will Our knowledge Information about the asteroid will be enriched with a wealth of new data.

Important conclusions are expected to be drawn for Betelgeuse as well. It is one of the most famous and brightest stars in the night sky. located in Orion constellation It stands out because of its bright red color. It’s one Giant red star Who is at the end of his “life”. It’s about to end with a spectacular supernova explosion. Betelgeuse’s occultation of the asteroid early Tuesday will give astronomers a chance to study the star and draw conclusions about its size and atmosphere.

the Betelgeuse eclipse From asteroid 319 Leona It is undoubtedly an event of great importance to the scientific community. However, it is also a special and very impressive sight for people who will be in the areas from where it can be viewed. It is also known that the star Betelgeuse will disappear completely from the sky in the future, after Supernova explosion Which means the end of his “life”. Its occultation with the asteroid on Monday night will show us, for just a few seconds, what the winter night sky would look like without one of its most distinctive stars.

If you are not in the area where Betelgeuse’s occultation will be observed VisibleYou can watch the phenomenon on Web TV to Virtual telescope project. The live broadcast will be broadcast at 03:00 AM on December 12.