Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star located in the constellation of Orion. It is one of the largest and brightest stars visible to the ***** eye. Betelgeuse is nearing the end of its life and is expected to explode as a supernova in the relatively near future, although the exact timing is uncertain. When it does explode, it will likely become one of the brightest objects in the night sky for a short period of time.