Alpha Orionis May 2026

Usually the 10th brightest star in the night sky, its magnitude typically ranges from +0.0 to +1.3 .

In late 2019 and early 2020, it experienced a historic drop in brightness, eventually attributed to a massive surface mass ejection that cooled into an obscuring dust cloud. alpha orionis

Betelgeuse is a , meaning its brightness fluctuates over time. Usually the 10th brightest star in the night

If placed at the center of our solar system, it would engulf the orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, likely extending past Jupiter's orbit . likely extending past Jupiter's orbit .