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Astronomers have captured their clearest image yet of Betelgeuse’s long-suspected companion, potentially ending a search that lasted about 100 years. The surprisingly massive hidden star could help explain Betelgeuse’s changing brightness and may influence its future supernova. Using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have obtained the clearest image ever of what likely is Betelgeuse B, a star orbiting Betelgeuse.
A team led by French astronomer Miguel Montargès used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) to capture the clearest image so far of what is believed to be Betelgeuse B. Montargès stated, "This is the conclusion of a century-long quest. We have shown that Betelgeuse is not single; it is accompanied by a faint stellar companion."
The researchers directly imaged Betelgeuse B, meaning they detected light coming from the companion itself. They accomplished this using the SPHERE instrument on ESO's VLT in Chile's Atacama Desert. The latest VLT observations provide the strongest evidence so far and the clearest image yet of Betelgeuse B. The discovery introduces another factor astronomers must consider when studying the star's evolution, including whether this companion could influence Betelgeuse's eventual supernova explosion.