Free Astronomy Magazine November-December 2026 ARABIC VERSION

21 dictedthatinDecemberthatyear, the companion would be furthest fromBetelgeuseandhenceeasierto spot.Montargèsandhisteamgotto work,observingthestarwithESO’s VLTinDecember2024andspending severalmonthsprocessingthedata. “Honestly, I thought we did not have the sensitivity to detect Betel- geuse B as it was predicted,” ex- plains Montargès. “Because it is moremassivethanpredicted,wesee it!” Originally thought to be about as massive as the Sun, the new ob- servationsrevealthatBetelgeuseB has instead around two to three timesthemassoftheSun. “Thefact thatwecanstilldiscoveranearby companion, more massiveandbrigh- ter than the Sun, around such a well-studiedstaris remarkable,” says Montargès. “These are among the best moments in science: seeing something new, unexpected .” Betelgeuse B was directly imaged, meaningthelightfromthestaritself was detected, using the SPHERE in- strumentonESO’sVLTinChile’sAta- cama Desert. While there was evidence for the existence of this companionstar,includingapossible directdetectionwiththeGemini NorthTelescopeinHawai ‘ i,USA,this isthestrongestevidencefor,and clearest image yet of, Betelgeuse B. “It is remarkable to see how SPHERE and advanced post-processing tech- niques, originally developed to find exoplanets,alsoexcelatdetecting a companion around a massive, e- volvedstarlikeBetelgeuse,” saysco- authorAnthonyBoccaletti,alsoan astronomer at the Observatoire de Paris. “To be certain that the companionis really there, we still need to ob- serveitinoneyearontheotherside of the star, but there is very little space left for doubt,” adds Mon- targès. A few years back, Betelgeuse was the subject of attention from as- tronomers and non-astronomers alike when it visibly started dim- ming.Asanevolvedsupergiantstar, Betelgeuseisexpectedtodieinasu- pernova explosion, and the dim- mingledsometospeculateitcould beabouttoexplode.Agroupofas- tronomersledbyMontargèsstudied the star with ESO’s VLT, finding it was instead obscured by a cloud of dust. The potential detection of Betel- geuseBwillpromptastronomersto investigate how the companion couldaffectBetelgeuse’santicipated supernovaexplosion. “Thequestion is truly opened whether this com- panion is going to have an impact on the evolution of the red super- giant,” concludesMontargès.     NOVEMBER-DECEMBER2026 21 ﺧﻼل دﻳﺴﻤﱪ 2024 ﻣﺎ ﻳ ﺠﻌﻠﻪ أﺳﻬﻞ ﻟﻠﺮﺻﺪ وﺑﻨﺎءً ﻋـﲆ ذ ﻟـﻚ ﺑـﺪأ ﻣﻮﻧﺘـﺎرﺟﻴﺲ وﻓﺮﻳﻘـﻪ اﻟﻌﻤﻞ ورﺻﺪوا ﻣﻨﻜـﺐ اﻟﺠـﻮزاء ﺑﺎﺳـﺘﺨﺪام اﻟﺘﻠﺴﻜﻮب اﻟﻜﺒ ﺟﺪ اً ﰲ دﻳﺴـﻤﱪ 2024 ﺛـﻢ أﻣﻀﻮا ﻋﺪة أﺷﻬﺮ ﰲ ﻣﻌﺎﻟﺠﺔ اﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت . ﻳﻘﻮل ﻣﻮﻧﺘﺎرﺟﻴﺲ ـﺑ»: ﴫاﺣﺔ ﻛﻨﺖ أﻋﺘﻘـﺪ أﻧﻨﺎ ﻻ ﻧﻤﻠﻚ اﻟﺤﺴﺎﺳـﻴﺔ اﻟﻜﺎﻓﻴـﺔ ﻻﻛﺘﺸـﺎف ﻣﻨﻜﺐ اﻟﺠﻮزاء B ﻛﻤﺎ ﻛﺎن ﻣﺘﻮﻗﻌ ﻟ ﺎً ﻜـﻦ ﻷن ﻛﺘﻠﺘﻪ أﻛـﱪ ﻣﻤـﺎ ﻛـﺎن ﻣﺘﻮﻗﻌـ ﺎً ﺗﻤﻜﻨـﺎ ﻣـﻦ « ! رؤﻳﺘﻪ وﻛﺎن ﻳ ﻌﺘﻘﺪ ﰲ اﻟﺒﺪاﻳﺔ أن ﻛﺘﻠﺔ ﻣﻨﻜﺐ اﻟﺠﻮزاء B ﺗﻘﺎرب ﻛﺘﻠﺔ اﻟﺸﻤﺲ ﻟﻜﻦ اﻷرﺻﺎد اﻟﺠﺪﻳﺪة ﺗﻜﺸﻒ أن ﻛﺘﻠﺘﻪ ﺗﺒﻠﻎ ﻧﺤﻮ ﺿـﻌﻔﻲ إﱃ ﺛﻼﺛﺔ أﺿﻌﺎف ﻛﺘﻠﺔ اﻟﺸﻤﺲ . ﻳﻀﻴﻒ ﻣﻮﻧﺘﺎرﺟﻴﺲ :» إن ﺣﻘﻴﻘﺔ ﺗﻤﻜﻨﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ اﻛﺘﺸـﺎف ﻧﺠـﻢ ﻣﺮاﻓـﻖ ﻗﺮﻳـﺐ أﻛﺜـﺮ ﻛﺘﻠــﺔ وإﺿـﺎءة ﻣـﻦ اﻟﺸـﻤﺲ ، ﺣـﻮل ﻧﺠـﻢ دُرس وإﺿﺎءة ﻣﻦ اﻟﺸﻤﺲ ﺣ ــﻮل ﻧﺠ ــﻢ دُرس ﺑﺼﻮرة ﻣﻜﺜﻔﺔ ﻣﺜـﻞ ﻣﻨﻜﺐ اﻟﺠـﻮزاء أﻣـﺮ . ﻣــﺬﻫﻞ ﻫــﺬه ﻣــﻦ أﻓﻀﻞ ﻟﺤﻈﺎت اﻟﻌﻠﻢ : أن ﺗﺮى ﺷﻴﺌ ﺎً اً ﺟﺪﻳـﺪ وﻏـ ﻣﺘﻮﻗـﻊ « وﻗـﺪ ﺟﺮى ﺗﺼﻮﻳﺮ ﻣﻨﻜـﺐ اﻟﺠـﻮزاء B ﻣﺒ ـﺎﴍة ــــــــــــــــــ اﻟﺸـ ـ ﻤﴘ أﺛﺒﺘ ـﺖ أﻳﻀـ ﺎً ﻛﻔـﺎءة ﻛﺒ ـ ة ﰲ اﻛﺘﺸـﺎف ﻧﺠـﻢ ﻣﺮاﻓـﻖ ﺣـﻮل ﻧﺠـﻢ ﺿـﺨﻢ وﻣﺘﻄﻮر ﻣﺜﻞ ﻣﻨﻜﺐ اﻟﺠﻮزاء « . ﻳﻀﻴﻒ ﻣﻮﻧﺘـﺎرﺟﻴﺲ :» ﻟﻜـﻲ ﻧﺘﺄﻛـﺪ ﻣـ ﻦ أن اﻟﻨﺠﻢ ا ﺮاﻓﻖ ﻣﻮﺟﻮد ﻧﺤﺘﺎج إﱃ رﺻـﺪه ﺑﻌـﺪ ﻋﺎم ﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ ﻳﻜﻮن ﰲ اﻟﺠﺎﻧﺐ اﻵﺧﺮ ﻣﻦ ﻣﻨﻜﺐ اﻟﺠﻮزاء ﻟﻜﻦ ﻟﻢ ﻳﻌﺪ ﻫﻨﺎك ﻣﺠﺎل ﻛﺒ ﻟﻠﺸﻚ « وﻗﺒﻞ ﺑﻀﻊ ﺳﻨﻮات ﺣﻈـﻲ ﻣﻨﻜـﺐ اﻟﺠـﻮزاء ﺑﺎﻫﺘﻤﺎم ﻛﺒ ﻋﻨـﺪﻣ ﺎ ﺑـﺪأ ﻌﺎﻧـﻪ ﻳـﻨﺨﻔﺾ ﺑﺼﻮرة ﻣﻠﺤﻮﻇـﺔ وﺑﺼـﻔﺘﻪ ﻧﺠﻤـ ﺎً ﺎً ﻋﻤﻼﻗـ أﺣﻤﺮ ﻣﺘﻄﻮر اً ﻓﻤﻦ ا ﺘﻮﻗﻊ أ ن ﻳﻨﻬـﻲ ﺣﻴﺎﺗـﻪ ﺑﺎﻧ ﻔﺠﺎر ﻣﺴﺘﻌﺮ أﻋﻈﻢ ﻟﺬﻟﻚ دﻓﻊ اﻧﺨﻔـﺎض ﻌﺎﻧﻪ اﻟﺒﻌﺾ إﱃ اﻟﺘﻜﻬ ﻦ ﺑﺄﻧﻪ ﻗﺪ ﻳﻜﻮن ﻋـﲆ وﺷﻚ اﻻﻧﻔﺠﺎر ﻟﻜـﻦ ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋـﺔ ﻣـﻦ ﻋﻠﻤـﺎء اﻟﻔﻠﻚ ﺑﻘﻴـﺎدة ﻣﻮﻧﺘـﺎرﺟﻴﺲ درﺳـﺖ اﻟـ ﻨﺠﻢ ﺑﺎﺳـﺘﺨﺪام اﻟﺘﻠﺴـﻜﻮب اﻟﻜﺒـ ﺟـﺪً ا اﻟﺘـﺎﺑﻊ ﻟﻠﻤﺮﺻﺪ اﻷوروﺑﻲ اﻟﺠﻨـﻮﺑﻲ وﺗﻮﺻـﻠﺖ إﱃ أن اﻻﻧﺨﻔﺎض ﰲ ﻌﺎﻧﻪ ﻛﺎن ﻧﺎﺗﺠـ ﺎً ﻋـﻦ ﺣﺠﺒـﻪ ﺑﺴﺤ ﺎﺑﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻐﺒﺎر وﻣـﻦ ا ﺘﻮﻗـﻊ أن ﻳـﺪﻓﻊ اﻻﻛﺘﺸـﺎف ا ﺤﺘﻤــﻞ ﻨﻜ ـﺐ اﻟﺠــﻮزاء B إﱃ دراﺳﺔ ﻛﻴﻔﻴﺔ ﺗـﺄﺛ ﻫـﺬا اﻟـﻨﺠﻢ ا ﺮاﻓـﻖ ﰲ اﻧﻔﺠﺎر ﻣﻨﻜـﺐ اﻟﺠـﻮزاء ا ﺘﻮﻗـﻊ ﻛﻤﺴـﺘﻌﺮ أﻋﻈﻢ . وﻳﺨﺘﺘﻢ ﻣﻮﻧﺘﺎرﺟﻴﺲ ﻗـﺎﺋﻼً :» ﻳﺒﻘـﻰ اﻟﺴﺆال ﻣﻔﺘﻮﺣًﺎ : ﻫﻞ ﺳـﻴﻜﻮن ﻟﻬـﺬا اﻟـﻨﺠﻢ ا ﺮاﻓﻖ ﺗﺄﺛ ﰲ ﺗﻄﻮر اﻟﻌﻤﻼق اﻷﺣﻤﺮ؟ «. أي أن اﻟﻀﻮء اﻟﺼﺎدر ﻣﻦ اﻟﻨﺠﻢ ﻧﻔﺴﻪ ﺟ ﺮى رﺻﺪه ﺑﺎﺳﺘﺨﺪام أداة " ﺳﻔﻴ " ا ﺜﺒﺘـﺔ ﻋـﲆ اﻟﺘﻠ ﺴـﻜﻮب اﻟﻜﺒ ـ ﺟ ـﺪًا اﻟﺘــﺎﺑﻊ ﻟﻠﻤﺮﺻ ـﺪ اﻷوروﺑـﻲ اﻟﺠﻨـﻮﺑﻲ، ﰲ ﺻـﺤﺮاء أﺗﺎﻛﺎﻣـﺎ ﰲ ﺗﺸﻴﲇ . وﻋﲆ اﻟﺮﻏﻢ ﻣﻦ وﺟـﻮد أدﻟـﺔ ﺳـ ﺎﺑﻘﺔ ﻋﲆ وﺟﻮد ﻫﺬا اﻟﻨﺠﻢ ا ﺮاﻓﻖ ﻣﻦ ﺑﻴﻨﻬﺎ رﺻـﺪ ﻣﺒﺎﴍ ﻣﺤﺘﻤﻞ ﺑﺎﺳﺘﺨﺪام ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب ﺟﻴﻤﻴﻨﻲ اﻟﺸﻤﺎﱄ ﰲ ﻫﺎواي ﺑﺎﻟﻮﻻﻳـﺎت ا ﺘﺤـﺪة، ﻓـﺈن اﻟﺮﺻﺪ اﻟﺠﺪﻳﺪ ﻳﻤﺜـﻞ أﻗـﻮى دﻟﻴـﻞ ﺣﺘـﻰ اﻵ ن وأوﺿﺢ ﺻﻮرة ﻟﺒﻴﺘِﻠﺠﻮس B . ﻳﻘﻮل ا ﺆﻟﻒ ا ﺸﺎرك أﻧﺘﻮﻧﻲ ﺑﻮﻛﺎﻟﻴﺘﻲ وﻫـﻮ أﻳﻀ ﺎً ﻋﺎﻟﻢ ﻓﻠﻚ ﰲ ﻣﺮﺻﺪ ﺑﺎرﻳﺲ :» ﻣﻦ ا ﺬﻫﻞ أن ﻧــﺮى ﻛﻴـﻒ أن أداة وﺗﻘ " ﺳـﻔﻴ " ﻨﻴـﺎت ا ﻌﺎﻟﺠـﺔ ا ﺘﻘﺪﻣـﺔ ﻟﻠﺒﻴﺎﻧـﺎت اﻟﺘـﻲ ﻃُـﻮرت أﺳﺎ ﻟﻠﺒﺤ ﺎً ﺳ ﺚ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻜﻮاﻛـﺐ ﺧـﺎرج اﻟﻨﻈـﺎم اﻟﺸـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ ﻤﴘـ ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ ــــــ ﻧﻮﻓﻤﺒﺮ - ﺩﻳﺴﻤﺒﺮ 2 0 2 6 ﻫﺬﻩ ـﺐ ﻟـﻮﻧﻲﻣﻌـﺪ ﻣـﻦ ﺗﻌﺮ ﻀـﺎت ﻣـﺄﺧﻮذة ﻣـﻦ ـﺎرة ﻋـﻦ ﺗﺮﻛ اﻟﺼﻮرة ﻋ " ﻣﺴـﺢ اﻟﺴﻤﺎء اﻟﺮﻗﻤﻲ 2" ) DSS2 ( و ﻳ ﻠﻎ ﻣﺠﺎل اﻟﺮؤ ﺔ ﺣﻮاﻟﻲ 2.0 ×1.5 . درﺟﺔ [ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgment: Davide De Martin]