Vanishing Giant

Betelgeuse, the supergiant star that marks the shoulder of Orion the hunter, will briefly vanish on the night of September 11 for skywatchers along a narrow path that stretches from western Asia to the southern tip of Florida and Mexico. A small asteroid, Leona, will pass directly in front of the star, blocking it from view for up to 10 seconds. Betelgeuse is much bigger, heavier, and brighter than the Sun. It is destined to explode as a supernova sometime in the next 100,000 years or so. [ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgment: Davide De Martin]