"Quiet Star Merger: Unveiling the Origins of Betelgeuse"

Betelgeuse, the second-brightest star in the Orion constellation, may have formed through the merger of two smaller stars, according to a computer simulation developed by astronomers. The simulation suggests that as the primary star aged and expanded into a red supergiant, its companion star funneled material onto itself, increasing its mass. Eventually, the companion star spiraled inward and merged with the primary star's helium core, releasing a significant amount of energy and ejecting some of the star's material into space. The merger mixed up the star's contents, resulting in the presence of heavier elements like nitrogen in its atmosphere. Direct evidence for this scenario may only be apparent when Betelgeuse explodes as a supernova in 50,000 to 100,000 years.