If Betelgeuse chooses to show itself to us during our Winter season, it will be quite a spectacle and I welcome it because it will cause people to look up for once, maybe for once in their lives. I know, they may have read about the Shoemaker-Levy event on Jupiter, but if they hadn't expererienced it(even on the news), then, you know it would be next to meaningless to most.

If Betelgeuse goes balistic, we'll know about it and I'm sure every astronomer, professional or not will have their scopes pointed at it to record the event. That's what matters to me... those that have such interests in mind and are willing to share it with like minded people.