The Star On The Shoulder Of Orion... Closer, And Smaller, Than We Imagined.

This is. . . soothing, to me. A balm -- that this crazily vast ball of hot plasma -- and gas. . . is both nearer, and smaller than we first thought. Oh and it is increasingly probable that we will wait around 100,000 years to see it supernova.

The news is that Betelgeuse is only about 500 light years off -- instead of around 670. . . which may not sound like much, but it is in fact 170 years closer. And smaller -- not quite as gargantuan -- only about two thirds the circumference of Jupiter's orbit -- as opposed to engulfing Jupiter, were it at the center of our solar system.

Either way though, we'd be toast -- deep inside its belly. Here are the latest findings, as summarized for a lay audience.

So, do be excellent to one another, as we. . . are all. . . we've got.

नमस्ते