Supernova explosion will be visible from Earth

wez130

wez130

wez130

Soldato
Joined
31 Jan 2004
Posts
11,316
Location
Matakana New Zealand
Did a search and never saw anything on it...


An exploding star in a galaxy far from Earth should be visible from Britain soon after twilight this evening. Amateur astronomers will be able to observe the flicker of light from its violent death throes through a good pair of binoculars or a telescope, clear skies permitting.
Click to expand...

source

Let's hope it's clear tonight :)
 
Last edited:
for the next few evenings apparently, but only tonight with a good pair of binoculars. It is to the east of the 'handle' of the plough constellation (Ursa major or big bear). After tonight, you can still see it but only with a telescope.
 
It's a bit of swizz though to be honest. The whole telescope/binoculars required part spoils things.

What we really want is one of those supernova's that are apparently visible even during the day. Now that would be cool.
 
The distance means observers on Earth will see the death of the star as it played out 21m years ago...
Click to expand...

The team noticed the supernova about five days after the star exploded and will continue observations until mid-October.
Click to expand...

Does not compute... ;)

Oh and sort your link out! :p
 
Lunatic Dreyfus said:
It's a bit of swizz though to be honest. The whole telescope/binoculars required part spoils things.

What we really want is one of those supernova's that are apparently visible even during the day. Now that would be cool.
Click to expand...

Betelgeuse is set to explode any day now, and that will outshine the moon.

Of course, "any day now" in astronomical terms means any time between now and a million years. Still, there's a chance we could see it in our lifetimes.

Amp34 said:
Does not compute... ;)

Oh and sort your link out! :p
Click to expand...

Time gets a bit funny over huge distances like that, because the astronomically sensible way of defining time is by the speed of light. Yes, it went pop 21 million years ago, but since the light has only just reached us, it can also be said to have just happened.

Basically, wibbly wobbly timey wimey.
 
SlyReaper said:
Betelgeuse is set to explode any day now, and that will outshine the moon.
Click to expand...

I remember a talk given by an astronomer once, where he said something along the lines of, "If the axis on which Betelgeuse rotates, was pointing towards Earth, when it goes supernova, it'd have serious consequences for life."

Funny to think an event happening so far away could have such a profound effect on us.
 
Yes. I realised that! :p

What always gets me in situations like that is the fact that star may have already exploded but we just don't know because of the slowness of the speed of light (or more accurately the size of space).
 
Last edited:
spp said:
I remember a talk given by an astronomer once, where he said something along the lines of, "If the axis on which Betelgeuse rotates, was pointing towards Earth, when it goes supernova, it'd have serious consequences for life."

Funny to think an event happening so far away could have such a profound effect on us.
Click to expand...

Well then it's a good thing it isn't pointing at us.
 
Quite.

Sadly it is cloudy here, typical. Reminds me of when I went to Cornwall to see the solar eclipse, back in 99 I think. Was cloudy then too...
 
wez130 said:
for the next few evenings apparently, but only tonight with a good pair of binoculars. It is to the east of the 'handle' of the plough constellation (Ursa major or big bear). After tonight, you can still see it but only with a telescope.
Click to expand...

I heard somebody say they saw it a few days ago, with 70mm bins and averted vision but that's some good equipment and luck working in their favour.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom