Star Betelgeuse, set to go supernova, eclipsed by asteroid Leona in rare cosmic encounter

On the morning of December 12, a celestial 'once-in-a-lifetime' spectacle unfolded, casting a veil over the night sky as the asteroid (319) Leona made its fleeting journey across the cosmos. An astronomical event of rare magnitude transpired as the asteroid traversed in front of the star Betelgeuse, nestled within the constellation of Orion.

Anticipation and occultation: Betelgeuse veiled by (319) Leona

Viewers across a narrow band of southern Europe and parts of Florida, USA, witnessed a phenomenon that promised to momentarily dim one of the most radiant stars in the nocturnal canvas. The anticipation hung palpably in the air, as astronomers and stargazers alike prepared for the brief occultation — a momentary eclipse where Betelgeuse would be veiled by the passing asteroid.

At 6:30 AM IST, people who could see the sky looked up. For about 15 seconds, the bright light of Betelgeuse disappeared. It was covered by the asteroid (319) Leona passing in front of it. During those few seconds, the star appeared to vanish.

Betelgeuse, Leona and scientific curiosity

Scientists with strong telescopes and a lot of curiosity used this special event to learn more about Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse is a star that might explode into a supernova sometime in the next thousand years. This rare event gave them a special opportunity to study Betelgeuse more closely. By studying how the asteroid passed in front of Betelgeuse, scientists hoped to learn more about the star's mysterious qualities. This could help them understand how big Betelgeuse is and how it behaves in space.

The orbit of (319) Leona, residing amidst the celestial expanse between Mars and Jupiter, had no direct relevance to Earth's planetary defence activities, yet its passage in front of Betelgeuse held a significant allure for astronomers and astrophysicists.

After the special event in the sky, as per reports, scientists were very curious to look at all the information they collected during that short time. Gianluca Masi, who leads the Virtual Telescope Project, felt hopeful. He thought they might learn new things about what the surface of Betelgeuse looks like. This special event could give them a peek into the features of the star.

Shot lived brilliance 

The world had witnessed a cosmic dance—a celestial duet between a colossal star and an asteroid, a fleeting encounter that held the promise of unlocking profound cosmic secrets. And as the night waned, the memories of this transient eclipse of Betelgeuse by (319) Leona lingered, etched in the minds of those fortunate enough to have gazed upon the spectacle in the vast theatre of the night sky.