"Blink Out: Witness the Disappearance of Betelgeuse, One of the Brightest Stars"
Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars in the sky, will almost disappear on December 12 due to an asteroid named 319 Leona blocking its view from Earth for up to five seconds. This rare event presents a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for amateur astronomers to gather valuable data about Betelgeuse and its convective cells, shedding light on the birth of planetary systems. Scientists hope to understand how hot, charged gas moves around dying stars and how they launch their stellar wind. Observers within a narrow path across southern Europe to southern Florida can participate by recording the star's dimming through telescopes and sharing their observations with local groups. The Virtual Telescope Project will also live-stream the event for those unable to witness it in person.