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| A rare astronomical event will be perfectly positioned in the night sky on Monday (Dec. 11) for some parts of the world. On that evening, an asteroid will pass in front of the curious red star Betelgeuse, eclipsing it from our vantage point here on Earth and blocking it from view for up to 15 seconds in an event known as an occultation. The asteroid is known as 319 Leona, a main belt object that orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Shaped roughly like an egg, 319 Leona measures some 50 by 34 miles (80 x 55 kilometers) in size. Such an event occurring to a well-known and bright star is an uncommon occurrence. Astronomers are calling the event "an extraordinary and unique opportunity" to study Betelgeuse's photosphere, the star's visible layer from which it emits most of its energy. The Virtual Telescope Project in Rome, Italy will host a free livestream (see below) of the event starting at 8 p.m. EDT on Monday, Dec. 11 (0100 GMT on Dec. 12). —Space.com |
You are certainly inspiring Betelgeuse, so brazenly out there
in the night sky, especially for a poet like me, closer to leaving
the earth than ever before. It must be amazing to be a supergiant
red star burning away in the night sky in your old age, before your
shrinking, puffing up even larger. You may have been the red giant
in a poem I wrote about my estranged younger sister, who I see again
on your burning surface, standing like a queen, surrounded by flames, her
arms outstretched, waiting to embrace me. I wrote it as a lamenting love poem,
one asking for forgiveness for not being a better big brother and falling short,
not knowing how to grow our love as we got older, not doing enough
to protect her, seeing her lose all her potential to fly as she was
lured into a cage with empty promises, only to lose herself,
lose her potential to fly so sadly young. I have grown
to be a feminist raising my daughter; at least
I protected her, even with my mistakes.
Enough about me and mine and not
mine: this poem is about you.
Thank you. Fuck that
asteroid, Leona,
coming round
to eclipse
you.