Is Rigel closer than Betelgeuse?
Table of Contents
Is Rigel closer than Betelgeuse?
At its brightest, the 0.2 magnitude, Betelgeuse is very close to Rigel’s 0.18 magnitude. Perhaps too close to be able to tell which is brighter. The star brightens and fades over a period of about 400 days.
How big is Betelgeuse vs Rigel?
Betelgeuse has a diameter ≈ 1300 times that of the Sun. Aldebaran has a diameter ≈ 45 times that of the Sun. Rigel has a diameter of about 116 million km, ≈ 35 times that of the Sun.
Which is brighter Rigel or Betelgeuse?
The “beta” designation is commonly given to the second-brightest star in each constellation, but Rigel is almost always brighter than α Orionis (Betelgeuse).
What is hotter Rigel or Betelgeuse?
It’s temperature (36,000 F) is much hotter than the Sun’s (10,000 F) and its brightness is about 47,000 times that of the Sun. Rigel, because of its high temperature, is white and is only a bit dimmer than the reddish, cold star Betelgeuse….Rigel.
| Fact Table | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rigel |
| Mass | 20 x the mass of the Sun |
How long does Rigel have left?
Blue supergiants like Rigel usually exhaust their fuel at a far quicker rate than smaller stars. Because of this, these types of stars tend to live only a few million years. Rigel has been estimated to be just 8 million years old and has already depleted its supply of hydrogen at its core.
How far is Rigel from Earth?
864.3 light years
Rigel/Distance to Earth
How do astronomers measure the masses of stars?
Traditionally, the most accurate method for determining the mass of distant stars is to measure the orbits of double star systems, called binaries. Newton’s laws of motion allow astronomers to calculate the masses of both stars by measuring their orbits with considerable accuracy.
How far away is Rigel?
How far is the Orion constellation from earth?
243 to 1360 light years
Orion hosts some of the brightest stars in Earth’s sky. Are they near or far? Table 1 tells us Orion’s stars lie at distances ranging from 243 to 1360 light years. Rigel is brightest with a magnitude of 0.2. (Magnitude describes brightness.
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