"Giant Star's Bizarre Dimming Explained: Close-Up Images Unveil Mystery"
The hypergiant star RW Cephei, located 16,000 light-years away, has recently brightened after a two-year period of dramatic dimming. Astronomers believe the dimming was caused by a gas cloud expelled by the star, which cooled and blocked its light from view. Close-up images from the CHARA Array show irregular blotchy patches on the star's surface, caused by the orbiting gas cloud. This event, described as a "grand eruption," sheds light on the star's behavior and its massive size, being 1,000 times larger than the sun.