Just 548 light years from Earth, this massive red supergiant nearly 1,000 times larger than our Sun is about to explode

Astronomers have discovered Betelgeuse harbors a hidden stellar companion. This finding complicates predictions about its eventual supernova explosion. The companion orbits the red supergiant at a significant distance. Its gravitational influence may alter Betelgeuse's mass loss and evolution. Future observations will further clarify the companion's role in the star's fate.