The dimming of Beletgeuse in Jan 2020

Constellation tour in Winter

Date & Time:	(Left) Oct 4 2019, from 24:19 to 24:25 JST(+0900), 2min.×6shots
	(Right) Jan 29, 2020, from 20:53 to 20:57 JST(+0900), 2min.×5shots
Optical:	AF zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm (f=50mm, stop: F4.0)
	with Kenko PRO Softon[A] filter
	Auto-guided with EYEBELL CD-1 portable Equatorial
Digital Camera:	Nikon D810A
Location:	Hiraiso, Hitachi-naka city, Ibaraki pref.

Camera Settings:	Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(7360×4912)
	Device Size...FX format (36×24mm)
	Sensitivity...ISO1600, White Balance...Daylight

We could observe the over one magnitude-dimming of Betelgeuse, alpha Ori, from the end of 2019 until the beginning of 2020. This set of Orion images compares between Oct 2019 and Jan 2020 captured with the same equipment. It is known that the Betelgeuse is one of variables with the range between 0.0 and 1.3th magnitude. In the end of Jan 2020, the brightness dropped down to 1.55th magnitude which was almost the same with 1.64th magnitude gamma Ori (Bellatrix). The amount of dimming was observed for the first time in 50 years, became a big topic for omen of the supernova explosion, etc.
As of the beginning of Mar 2020, it's being observed that the Betelgeuse begins to brighten again. The cause of this dimming is considered that two minimal periods of variable cycle are overlapped by chance, or low-temperature gaseous matters cover the surface of Betelgeuse, etc.

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The winter's Diamond

Eridanus & Fornax

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