Betelgeuse's Atmosphere Haunted by Cosmic Poltergeist Companion, Radio Images Reveal

New radio observations of Betelgeuse show the red supergiant's atmosphere is still recovering from its dramatic 2019-2020 dimming event, while an unseen companion appears to be plowing through its outer layers. The findings, from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), reveal a complex and dynamic environment around the star, located about 650 light-years away in Orion. Astronomers detected a bright, hot spot in the star's extended atmosphere, likely caused by shock waves from the companion's motion. This 'cosmic poltergeist' may explain the irregular mass loss and puzzling variability observed in Betelgeuse. The dimming, which sparked speculation of an imminent supernova, was likely due to a dust cloud, but the companion's gravitational influence could have triggered the event. The companion, possibly a sun-like star or neutron star, orbits at a distance comparable to Neptune's orbit. These results are crucial for understanding the final stages of massive stars and the mechanisms driving their mass loss before a supernova explosion. Betelgeuse's eventual supernova will be spectacular, but this research shows its pre-supernova evolution is equally fascinating.