Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
AI Generated
When Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in the constellation Orion, eventually goes supernova—likely within the next 100,000 years—the night sky will light up as if a second sun appeared, creating a brightness nearly as intense as the full moon.
AI Generated
The supernova’s glow will endure for months, allowing people to read by its light even at midnight. This extraordinary celestial show will be so intense, it will be visible during daylight hours.
Despite Betelgeuse’s impending explosion, Earth is safe. At around 650 light-years away, the star is too distant for its radiation or shockwaves to reach Earth with dangerous intensity.
For a supernova to truly threaten Earth, it would need to occur within 30 light-years. According to Space.com, such proximity would unleash radiation capable of stripping away our planet’s protective atmospheric layers.
Supernovas emit cosmic rays—particles traveling at nearly the speed of light. These rays could break apart molecules in the atmosphere, leading to ozone depletion and exposing Earth to unfiltered UV radiation.
Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University/Kyoto University/Ryuunosuke Takeshige
Without an ozone layer, Earth would be vulnerable to intense UV radiation, which would devastate microorganisms like algae. This could lead to ecosystem collapse and a potential mass extinction event.
Currently, no stars within 30 light-years pose a supernova risk. The closest candidate, Spica, is around 250 light-years away, ensuring our safety from such explosive events for the foreseeable future.
As Earth travels through the Milky Way’s spiral arms, the chances of encountering a lethal supernova rise. Scientists estimate that a supernova close enough to affect Earth could happen roughly once every billion years.
Gamma-ray bursts, caused by neutron star mergers, are even more dangerous than supernovas. Their concentrated energy beams can travel over 10,000 light-years, posing a potential threat if directed toward Earth.
Credit: NASA