--- title: "Scientists Are Breathlessly Waiting For Betelgeuse to Explode" description: "Betelgeuse is one of the most iconic stars visible on Earth — and with scientists predicting that it'll go supernova soon, Twitter has jokes." date: "2023-05-04" modified: "2023-05-04" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-waiting-betelgeuse-explode" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "Astronomy" - "betelgeuse" - "supernova" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Are Breathlessly Waiting For Betelgeuse to Explode ![Betelgeuse is one of the most iconic stars visible on Earth — and with scientists predicting that it'll go supernova soon, Twitter has jokes.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Super Powers Betelgeuse is one of the most visible and iconic stars visible on Earth — and with scientists predicting that it'll go supernova sometime soon, astronomy Twitter naturally has jokes. In 2019, [Betelgeuse became noticeably dimmer](), which led to stargazers and [scientists alike wondering]() whether the old red giant was about to go supernova. Last year, the Hubble Space Telescope — remember that guy? — heightened the drama when it captured unprecedented images of [Betelgeuse blowing its top]() but not going full kaboom. Ever since, [speculation]() about when the star will [complete its journey to supernova]() has roiled scientific circles. Overall, astronomers [predict]() that the famous star, which is still super-bright in its spot as the shoulder of Orion, will go supernova within the next 100,000 years. That's a long time for us puny humans, but the blink of an eye in cosmic terms — especially because the operative word is "within," meaning it could technically blow up tomorrow. Naturally, scientists on Twitter are cracking jokes about the situation. "Betelgeuse better explode soon," University of Chicago astrophysicist [Sanjana Curtis joked](), "or I’ll blow it up myself." NASA planetary scientist Daria Pidhorodetska, meanwhile, [quipped]() that she's "checking the betelgeuse status account" — a [*very* fun update account]() a la "[Liza Minelli outlives]()" — "in the middle of a packed bar." ## Webb Comics Betelgeuse's imminent demise is such a meme at this point that [someone resurfaced]() a [2016 XKCD comic]() about it — and a quick perusal of the web comic's site found that it's [far from the only one]() about [the red giant](). https://twitter.com/ohdearz/status/1652170940866871297 While those itching to see the star explode represent the dominant class of astronomy Twitter, there are still some who aren't ready to say goodbye. "Am I a bad astronomer for not wanting Betelgeuse to blow up because Orion is my favorite constellation due to its gorgeous symmetry and beauty?" Middlebury College physicist [Eilat Glikman tweeted](). "I don’t want it to change!" **More on stars:** [*Grim Images Show Helpless Star Disappearing Into Black Hole*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()