Random Fact
Betelgeuse is a reddish star in the constellation Orion — on the eastern shoulder of the hunter — and one of the brightest stars in space. It is a cool red supergiant and it changes in brightness and size. Its name is derived from the Arabic word bat al-shauzâ, which means “the giant’s shoulder.” The star is approximately 310 light-years from Earth. Betelgeuse is one of the largest stars known and its diameter varies between 430 and 625 times the diameter of the Sun. Betelgeuse was the first star to have its diameter measured by an interferometer.