We think of the night sky as reliable and unchanging. The sun sets every evening revealing the same stars found in familiar patterns throughout the year. Those patterns are so predictable, in fact, that we use them to orient ourselves here on Earth.   This steadiness is a result of the timescales required for any particular step in the stellar evolution process. It takes millions, even billions, of years for stars to live out their lives. In our lifetimes, we see only a snapshot of their life story. From the star’s perspective, we are but a tiny blip in the timeline.   So when a star changes on timescales we can actually observe, this change is big news. And that's why right now, all eyes are on Betelgeuse. https://www.antipodesmap.com/   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://astrogear.spreadshirt.com/ for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations. Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by Astrosphere New Media. http://www.astrosphere.org/ Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.