Measurements in 2008 revealed the star is probably about 640 light years from Earth. In other words, it takes light about 640 years to travel from that star to Earth. This means that all of the observations we are now making are of a star as it was 640 years ago. There is a possibility that the star has already gone supernova!

Kabooom!

I've missed your clips!

Why, thank you so much! It's good to see you, Kelika.

Zaphod Beeblebrox will lose his home too!

More than 100 years ago was already observed, that Betelgeuze differs in its diameters very much. Even its distance from earth is not sure until now. Scientists believed in the last years a distance between ca. 250 until 750 lys. It's sure, that it was there as a red giant in the days of the Egypt Empire at least 3.000 years ago and was observed regular during the last 1.000 years. I read, that it's now decreasing its seize by constant luminance - what is possibly a sign for its last period. So I hope, that the distance of more than 600 lys. is correct, because it's completely unknown, what a kind of nova will be the final phase. It can be turned into a simple nova or even a black hole!

Just read this yesterday. Wouldn't it be amazing to see such a celestial even in this day and age? It's too far to do harm here, but it would light up the night sky for a few hours/days.

I almost clipped this one. This Name, you've always been one step ahead, you have been missed.

Haha! You've always been one of my all time favourite clippers and I KNOW I have to get up pretty early to beat you to the good stuff. Sometimes, just sometimes, I get lucky.