Astronomers may have finally found the star hiding next to Betelgeuse. Astronomers had long suspected that Betelgeuse was not alone, partly because of the star’s regular changes in brightness. But despite years of searches, its suspected companion remained out of sight. Both predicted that the suspected companion would be at its greatest apparent distance from Betelgeuse in December 2024, making it easier to spot. The Clearest Image Of The Suspected Companion YetWhat makes the new result stand out is that the researchers directly detected light from the suspected companion.