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When talking about stars, "cool" is a relative term. Betelgeuse has a variable surface temperature of 5,200 to 6,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Such a temperature may seem extremely hot to us and is easily hot enough to emit bright light but it is fairly cool as stars go. The comparatively low temperature of Betelgeuse means that it gives off less light per square meter than a hotter star would, but it makes up for it with its massive size, more than 900 times the diameter of the sun. As massive size means a large surface are and thus a huge output of light.

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Q: Why is Betelgeuse cool but gives off massive amounts of light?
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How many light years away is betelgeuse?

Betelgeuse is approximately 600 light years from Earth.


How far is Betelgeuse from the sun?

Betelgeuse is about 640 light-years from the sun.


How long does it take light to reach earth from Betelgeuse?

Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star about 640 light-years from Earth. So light from Betelgeuse takes 640 years to get here. Here's an interesting fact; the star Betelgeuse is probably near the end of its life, and may explode in a supernova explosion any time. Very massive stars like Betelgeuse live fast and die in under 100 million years, and Betelgeuse will probably go supernova within the next 10,000 years. This is like no time at all in cosmic terms, but in terms of a HUMAN lifetime, it probably will NOT happen while we're alive to see it. But it could. In fact, Betelgeuse might have exploded 500 years ago, and we wouldn't know it for another 140 years!


Is betelgeuse the farthest star from earth?

No, Betelgeuse is about 640 light-years from earth, but some stars are many billions of light-years away.


How far away is Betelgeuse?

Betelgeuse is a red supergiant in the constellation Orion. It is approximately 640 light years from us.


How long does it take for the light generated by the star Betelgeuse to reach Earth?

The light takes about 640 years to reach Earth, as Betelgeuse (a red supergiant star) is about 640 light years from Earth.


What happens in the sun to produce light?

Nuclear fusion takes place, converting Hydrogen atoms into Helium atoms and releasing massive amounts of energy as light and heat.


How many light years is Betelgeuse from Capella?

It's about 600 or 700 light-years.


Is Mars the same as Betelgeuse?

No, Mars is a red rocky planet in our solar system, Betelgeuse is a red giant star about 640 light years away.


What do you use to observe red giants?

It can be done without a telescope.One of the best - depending on your location - is the right shoulder of Orion. ("His right")This is Betelgeuse - a massive red giant - that can be seen flickering in hues of red. It is about 600 light years away and - will, no body knows when - explode as a massive supernova.A telescope will, obviously, give a better view.


How many light years from earth is betelgeuse?

It is around 640 lightyears away.


Why might a Proxima Centauri look dimmer than a Betelgeuse?

Proxima Centauri has an insignificant luminosity to Betelgeuse. Although it is the closest known star(4.2 light-years) to our Sun, it is virtually impossible to see because it is so dim. Betelgeuse, on the other hand, is a lot farther (640 light-years). Yet, it is one of the brightest stars in our night sky. This is because Betelgeuse has an extremely high luminosity.