danot Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I may be asking a stupid question but this is something I'd really like to witness before I snuff it. Is it possible? If so, what info is there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Yes, pretty accurately (ie within several tens of thousands of years). There's a fancy system of telescopes that detects the gamma ray burst given off just before the main pop and allows us to get some decent telescopes pointing at the event before the main event, generally you can't see them with the naked eye anyway, and when you can they last for several weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Cyclone sums it up fairly accurately; it may be that there are scientific methods of determining exactly how long before a given red-giant star explodes, but if there are, we have not discovered them yet. Unfortunately, there are only a very few stars in our own galactic neighbourhood that are anywhere near exploding, and "within the next fifty thousand years or so" isn't a helpful prediction if you want to see one in your own lifetime. The last two major stellar explosions in our own galaxy took place shortly before the invention of the telescope, some four centuries ago; and there hasn't been one since. Eta Carinae and Betelgeuse look the most likely candidates, but it is definitely not worth staying up at nights and watching them on the off chance. Supernovas occurring in more distant galaxies is commonplace; one or two a year at least, but they are never visible to the naked eye, and in the vast majority of cases they're not remotely impressive even viewed through a telescope. A tiny dot of barely-noticeable light becomes slightly less tiny and a fraction more noticeable. If Betelgeuse were to explode it might very well cast shadows; it would certainly be visible in daylight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 It might be fortunately, a close one could well sterilise the neighbourhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 It might be fortunately, a close one could well sterilise the neighbourhood. True. We wouldn't want a supernova within twenty light years or so! Betelgeuse is far enough away to put on a spectacular show without endangering life. "Galactic neighbourhood" can mean anything from a few hundred thousand miles to a couple of thousand light years: I should have made myself more clear, perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Cyclone sums it up fairly accurately; it may be that there are scientific methods of determining exactly how long before a given red-giant star explodes, but if there are, we have not discovered them yet. Unfortunately, there are only a very few stars in our own galactic neighbourhood that are anywhere near exploding, and "within the next fifty thousand years or so" isn't a helpful prediction if you want to see one in your own lifetime. The last two major stellar explosions in our own galaxy took place shortly before the invention of the telescope, some four centuries ago; and there hasn't been one since. Eta Carinae and Betelgeuse look the most likely candidates, but it is definitely not worth staying up at nights and watching them on the off chance. Supernovas occurring in more distant galaxies is commonplace; one or two a year at least, but they are never visible to the naked eye, I recall watching this one with the naked eye.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_1987A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 It depends on who you class as a star. Personally I'd like to see Glenn Beck and Jason Gardiner explode, but I don't think they can be classed as stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alrockman Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I may be asking a stupid question but this is something I'd really like to witness before I snuff it. Is it possible? If so, what info is there? It’s possible that the next one you will see as already exploded, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,525695,00.html but just to be sure you see one before you die have a look at this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uptowngirl Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I may be asking a stupid question but this is something I'd really like to witness before I snuff it. Is it possible? If so, what info is there? I predict that Johnnie Vegas will explode within the next 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Mel Gibson recently exploded while on the phone to his girlfriend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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