But it's not going to hurt us. Betelgeuse is the shoulder of Orion, a red giant sitting about 500 light years away. It's huge, weighing somewhere between 15 and 20 solar masses, but is so extended ...

Betelgeuse has been a favorite among amateur astronomers for many years. However you pronounce it, its unexpected dimming draws even more attention to this red supergiant variable star in Orion.