Suppose that the star Betelgeuse (the upper left shoulder of Orion)were to supernova tomorrow (as seen here on Earth).What would it look like to the naked eye?
A)Betelgeuse would remain a dot of light,but would suddenly become so bright that,for a few weeks,we'd be able to see this dot in the daytime.
B)We'd see a cloud of gas expanding away from the position where Betelgeuse used to be.Over a period of a few weeks,this cloud would fill our entire sky.
C)Because the supernova destroys the star,Betelgeuse would suddenly disappear from view.
D)Betelgeuse would suddenly appear to grow larger in size,soon reaching the size of the full Moon.It would also be about as bright as the full Moon.

Question

Suppose that the star Betelgeuse (the upper left shoulder of Orion)were to supernova tomorrow (as seen here on Earth).What would it look like to the naked eye?
A)Betelgeuse would remain a dot of light,but would suddenly become so bright that,for a few weeks,we'd be able to see this dot in the daytime.
B)We'd see a cloud of gas expanding away from the position where Betelgeuse used to be.Over a period of a few weeks,this cloud would fill our entire sky.
C)Because the supernova destroys the star,Betelgeuse would suddenly disappear from view.
D)Betelgeuse would suddenly appear to grow larger in size,soon reaching the size of the full Moon.It would also be about as bright as the full Moon.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Betelgeuse, if it were to supernova, would indeed become significantly brighter, but it would still appear as a point of light to the naked eye. Its brightness could increase to the point where it would be visible during the daytime for a period. Supernovae do not cause stars to visually expand to the size of the Moon to the naked eye, nor do they result in the immediate visible expansion of a gas cloud or the star disappearing instantly.

Suppose That the Star Betelgeuse (The Upper Left Shoulder of Orion)were