Jekyll Island Beach 2012

Jekyll Island Beach 2012

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Beetlejuice? or Betelgeuse?




The Rogue Speaks:

Do you remember what Alec Baldwin USED to look like?...back in 1988 when he was young? Well, I do! One of my favorite movies is "Beetlejuice!" Alec Baldwin and Genna Davis played a couple of young deceased ghosts who love their married life in an old house. When the house is sold to Charles Deitz and his wife, Delia, played by Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O'Hara, the dead couple hire a "bio-exorcist" named Beetlejuice, played by Michael Keaton, to remove the horrible two-some and their Goth daughter, Lydia, played by Winona Ryder, from the home that they love. The film was directed by Tim Burton, so you know that it was weird, bizarre, hysterical, etc. But enough about that movie!!

The real Betelgeuse is a star in the constellation Orion. It is the 8th brightest star in the universe!


In the illustration above, you will find it in the upper left side. The constellation, Orion, is a winter constellation and is part of the Winter Triangle. Astronomers think Betelgeuse is a young star, only 10 million years old. It has a very high mass, so it has evolved rapidly. It is quite huge. If it replaced our sun, the surface would stretch out beyond the asteroid belt. All the planets that are no farther away than Mars would be engulfed by it. In the Illustration below, you can see that Betelgeuse has a reddish hue.



O.k., now comes the scary part. Some astronomers believe that Earth could be getting a second sun if Betelgeuse collapses, because it is running out of fuel. If that happens, we would see a second sun! There is also the chance that for at least a few weeks, there would be no night on Earth!! Sounds pretty bad, doesn't it? Well you can relax!

If Betelgeuse does go "super nova" our planet will be showered with particles that would be very beneficial to us earthlings! It actually would provide Earth with elements that are so necessary for our continuity and survival!

Actually, since Betelgeuse is so far away from us, anywhere from 497 and 789 lightyears away, this event could have already occurred. If so, the light just hasn't reached us yet. Stick around, earthlings! It could happen!!

37 comments:

H said...

Orion is one of the constellations which I recognise. On clear winter nights, I always look for The Hunter.

Unknown said...

I love Beetlejuice & Orion!! Great blog, love the info... quite interesting. If you ever want to read about my love, stop in & check out Orion

Unknown said...

I seems so odd that it could have happened and we still don't know it.

Jo said...

fascinating post ... and i loved the movie!!!

lissa said...

I saw Beetlejuice, I thought it was a fun, morbid but fun, movie, though some parts are just kind of gross

have a sweet day!

Betty said...

I rememeber really enjoying Beatlejuice, but haven't seen it in years. Thanks for the reminder and the lesson on outerspace.

Ames said...

I think you covered both of them very well! Loved to movie. For some reason I didn't pay attention to Geena's on screen ghost husband. I had no idea it was Alec Baldwin. Boy has he aged. And now I will go look at the stars!~Ames

Teresa said...

Great B post. I love that movie Beetlejuice-so funny!

Donnie said...

Hmmm...I wonder.....

Cher Duncombe said...

Odd things are happening these days, Judie, so not even this would surprise me. I did love the movie, though. Once in awhile I break out in song and sing the Banana Boat song. I try not to fly down the staircase, though!

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

Fascinating information, Judie, and I remember that movie..

Francisca said...

Impressive... the science, that is... not the movie. :-D

Carol said...

I love that movie!! I learned something new today (thanks for that) and I got the Lady Gaga song outta my head, from a previous 'B' site...now I am singing this one! (Thanks for that too!) ;)

Vicki/Jake said...

Yep, I remember Alec as a hunk...
Never knew about the sky beetlejuice though:)

Anonymous said...

OH! yeah I remember,wasn't he absolutely gorgeous!
That is one of our favorite movies.Husband get's a kick out of Michael Keaton!
Hey so glad to see ya back southeast.
Thanks for the sweet comment.
~Jo
Lazy on Loblolly

Cindy Adkins said...

I think he's still super-handsome! I never heard of the other beetlejuice...that is interesting!

I hope you're having a beautiful day!

XO
Cindy

Gattina said...

I never saw this movie, can't say anything.

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

I absolutely love that movie! I kind of forgot that Baldwin was in it...

Need to put that one on the Netflix que!

21 Wits said...

Oh an excellent post...and photo of back in his lovelier days! I am a fan of star gazing when it's possible, but your info quite interesting...and funny thing I really did like that crazy movie...but I really like Michael Keaton a lot!

Susan Anderson said...

I always seem to learn something interesting from you.

And yes, Alec Baldwin was a lot better looking back in the day. (But weren't we all???)

;)

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Fascinating info about about Betelgeuse, especially the idea that it may have already kaputed. If it had, I wonder if the particles streaming through our atmosphere is also contributing to all the sudden strange weather we've been having. Great post, Judie. I just watched Beetlejuice the other night. I enjoy watching Michael Keaten do his thing.

Says Bianca said...

They just recently played this movie on tv and it continues to be one of my favorites. I used to own the soundtrack by Danny Elfman (on cassette - that's how long ago it was). Good one. Classic.

ellen b. said...

I'll be on the lookout!

Mary said...

I've only seen bits & pieces of Beetlejuice~ I remembered Geena Davis but not Alec Baldwin. I remember him from Knots Landing though...poor Alec hasn't aged well.

Tom Hakkinen said...

Orion's one of the few constellations in the night sky I can recognise. That, the Southern Cross and Venus. Although I suppose if there was a super-nova we wouldn't be able to see any other star in the Orion constellation.

ChrisJ said...

I really liked the movie and used to like Alec Baldwin!

The winter night sky is awesome and here we add in the northern lights sometimes as well. What would Orion be without Betelgeuse, I wonder?

Clara Gillow Clark said...

What a fabulous blog! I LOVE your art!

Cheryl D. said...

The last time I watch Beetlejuice, was when my 7 year old was about 6 months old. I was giving her a bottle and watching the television. It was the scene that Day-O! was on, and my daughter LAUGHED! She loved that song!

THE SNEE said...

Coooool! I would so love to sit down for tea with you...or a glass of wine!

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments said...

I've never seen Beetlejuice, but Alec Baldwin sure was handsome!

You always give us interesting things to learn here! Thanks for the info on Betelgeuse :o)

Blessings & Aloha!
(I am sooooo late this week!!!) Have a wonderful weekend!!

Terra said...

I had no idea beatlegeuse was a constellation! WOW! I posted a constellation with my A week poem - it was fitting and done with intent- but no one noticed - I wonder if you knew which one it was?

Unknown said...

I really couldn't imagine if we have 2 suns.... should be really hot!

Judie said...

Terra, I remember your poem about the star and walking the imaginary line, but I don't know what constellation that is. Even though Arizona is definitely the place to star-gaze, my vision is so poor right now that I don't even try. Maybe after my surgery I could tell you.

Tammy said...

Now *that* would make for some global warming! Cool post.

Keri {One Mama's Daily Drama} said...

What a creative B word! That is a movie is a favorite from my childhood. Having two suns would be so odd ~ would humans survive?

Anonymous said...

Fabulous post as usual!
Buy the way, I love that movie too. And Alec...when he was young and did not beat up his wives.

Unknown said...

What a great post! The movie was always a little too creepy for me even if it's a comedy. I just found Beetlejuice to be a very disgusting character.

Betelgeuse the star, on the other hand, was quite fun to read about. My dad use to work for NASA and he use to teach us a lot about stars and the universe. It's just so fascinating, isn't it?