Betelgeuse to be Briefly Blocked by Asteroid on Dec. 12

Betelgeuse, the star colloquially known as the "shoulder" of the constellation Orion, is set to almost disappear from view for a brief period on December 12.

Scientists predicted that an asteroid named 319 Leona would pass by and block the star's view from Earth for up to five seconds, similar to when the Moon eclipses the Sun.

The phenomenon would be a chance for astronomers to gather crucial information about Betelgeuse that could help scientists understand the birth of planetary systems.

"This is very exceptional," Paris Observatory astronomer Miguel Montarges told Business Insider. "Basically, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Betelgeuse to be Briefly Blocked by Asteroid on Dec. 12 — P. Kervella/AFP via Getty Images

What Makes 319 Leona's Passage Special?

Asteroids and planets pass in front of stars all the time, but they usually are so large from Earth that they completely block out the star's light.

However, for 319 Leona's case, the asteroid was just the right size, at the right place, and at the right time, as it would be at the perfect size to leave a "ring of fire" eclipse that could be seen from Earth.

This also meant that the near-eclipse would allow scientists to see some of Betelgeuse's dimmer features to appear to Earth-bound observatories.

"It'll tell us what is the physics behind red supergiants and how they are launching their stellar wind," Montarges added, noting that the material from the star could eventually produce a new solar system.

Limited Visibility

The phenomenon would have a very limited trajectory and a very narrow flight path, about 60 kilometers wide that should pass through southern Europe to Turkey, Greece, southern Italy, southern Spain, and Portugal, before crossing the Atlantic and crossing the very tip of southern Florida.

The International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA) provided a resource on its website regarding the event. The Virtual Telescope Project would also be livestreaming the event online from 20:00 Eastern Time (01:00 UTC) on December 11.