ALMA has photographed, for the first time, the surface of another star, Betelgeuse
For the first time ever, Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has ever observed the surface of a star and taken its photograph.
The star, Betelgeuse is approximately 600 light years away and is one of the largest known stars.
Here is the picture ( Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/E. O’Gorman/P. Kervella)
For comparison, here is the first ever picture of our Sun ( Daguerrotype image of the sun made by Louis Fizeau in 1845. ):
And here is a relatively newer picture of our Sun (2 weeks ago):
Very interesting. The photograph almost makes the surface of the star look like a cube. Any idea why that is? I'd be interested to know!
Not sure, but the picture is made in sub-millimeter wavelengths and there is a huge plasma bubble on the surface. Maybe that has something to do with it!
Those are some amazing pictures, I've always been fascinated by the information we can gather from so far away.