Holy crap, Supernovas!

[StellarViking]

So, this is still developing, but I heard earlier today that a star in galaxy M95 is in the early stages of going supernova.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/03/19/breaking-possible-supernova-in-nearby-spiral-m95/

Nothing too spectacular yet, but it's just getting started.
Thoughts, everyone?

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

ZOMG, WERE ALL GONNA DIE. TOLD YOU BOUT DAT 2012 STUFF.

In all seriousness, it's very cool but I doubt we'll live long enough to see it explode or implode or whatever. Dont know much about astronomy but doesnt it take awhile too explode or whatever they do?

 

[Azure-Supernova]

Was kind of hoping this thread was about me... ah well, I'll be ready with my telescope when the time comes, if I ever get to see it...

 

[MercurySteam]

Great, somebody destroyed a Mass Relay. They are gonna be sooooo screwed over in M95 (also the name of my favourite bolt-action sniper rifle in BC2).

 

[DasDestroyer]

Supernovae*

ZOMG, WERE ALL GONNA DIE. TOLD YOU BOUT DAT 2012 STUFF.

In all seriousness, it's very cool but I doubt we'll live long enough to see it explode or implode or whatever. Dont know much about astronomy but doesnt it take awhile too explode or whatever they do?

Actually, supernovae stay at their brightest for anywhere between a few hours to a few months, depending on the type of supernova, so unless you're planning on dying within the next few weeks you'll outlive it.

If its true what he said the the supernova is about 400 millions trillion kilometers away, then through the magical power of a calculator I've counted that it's about 4,2 million lightyears...

Yeah, so even if it would explode right now, it'd take 4 million years before we could see it. Unless it already has exploded about 4 million years ago...

Which it has. That's how all light works, what we see is always "outdated" based on how far the object is.

 

[redisforever]

Thoughts? I love Phil Plait. I read about this on Twitter. Also, pretty pictures.

 

[OneCatch]

If its true what he said the the supernova is about 400 millions trillion kilometers away, then through the magical power of a calculator I've counted that it's about 4,2 million lightyears...

About 38 million [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_95] lightyears actually; you dropped an order of magnitude somewhere

Yeah, so even if it would explode right now, it'd take 40 million years before we could see it. Unless it already has exploded about 40 million years ago...

Well, if we can see it starting to kick off now, then that means it did indeed start to blow 40 million years ago, and is long gone! Which also means we'll see the peak luminosity relatively soon as the light from it continues to pass us.

Though I feel the need to point out from the article:

"And as a final note for now: we're in no danger from this. I normally wouldn't bother writing that, but a lot of people seem jittery due to 1) the 2012 nonsense, b) the recent (coincidental) solar flares, and gamma) the asteroids (DA14 and AG5) I wrote about last week. So to proclude any fear-mongering, I'll just say this supernova is something like 400 million trillion kilometers away, and probably won't even get bright enough to see in binoculars. I hope that helps assuage any fears."

A type 1a supernova would have to be within around 3-4000 lightyears to hurt earth. This one is 38 million lightyears away, so we're all ok, no matter how powerful it is! Stars simply can't get big enough to create the kind of nova that could kill us from millions of ly.

 

[Bvenged]

ZOMG, WERE ALL GONNA DIE. TOLD YOU BOUT DAT 2012 STUFF.

In all seriousness, it's very cool but I doubt we'll live long enough to see it explode or implode or whatever. Dont know much about astronomy but doesnt it take awhile too explode or whatever they do?

It'll take a few weeks to "max out" and finish going all "supernovae". It'll just look like a brighter star if you look up at the sky during this time, and if you have a telescope you will also see a bright particle cloud around it, which is its own ejected mass.

Only supernovae in our own galaxy would have any kind of consequence felt on Earth. Even then it would have to be within a close region (33 light years) to flood us with enough ejection to ruin our biosphere to extinction.

 

[Buzz Killington_v1legacy]

Speaking of supernovas--you want to know something that blew my mind the first time I heard it? Every single atom that's heavier than hydrogen in everything around you was formed in a supernova billions of years ago.

 

[vrbtny]

ZOMG, WERE ALL GONNA DIE. TOLD YOU BOUT DAT 2012 STUFF.

You sir, are awesome. If i had cookie on me, i sure would give it to you.

OT: Cool, I bring up a sun-bathing chair and have at it!!

 

[dvd_72]

Speaking of supernovas--you want to know something that blew my mind the first time I heard it? Every single atom that's heavier than hydrogen in everything around you was formed in a supernova billions of years ago.

hence the quote "We are stardust" from somewhere. Not sure where.

Although strictly speaking the actual formation of elements heavier than hydrogen happens before the supernova as the star burns normally. The nova is just how that matter is ejected from the star. I think.

 

[Buzz Killington_v1legacy]

hence the quote "We are stardust" from somewhere. Not sure where.

Most likely Carl Sagan, although I think it's "star stuff".

Although strictly speaking the actual formation of elements heavier than hydrogen happens before the supernova as the star burns normally. The nova is just how that matter is ejected from the star. I think.

True. Actually, everything from helium up until iron gets formed during the normal part of the life cycle of the star, then everything heavier than iron gets formed in the supernova and all that material gets blown out into space. (This is because iron is the last thing on the periodic table you can fuse and get more energy out of the process than you put in. Once a star runs out of everything else and starts fusing iron, it's pretty much all over--the star collapses, then rebounds on itself and explodes.)

 

[Popadoo]

Speaking of supernovas--you want to know something that blew my mind the first time I heard it? Every single atom that's heavier than hydrogen in everything around you was formed in a supernova billions of years ago.

Actually, anything heavier than iron was formed in a supernova. Stars burn hydrogen into helium, helium into heavier stuff, and as they age this goes up and up to iron as the heaviest element a star can form through nuclear fusion. Anything past iron must have been formed in a supernova.

OT: THIS IS FREAKING AMAZING.
I don't think this will be visible to the naked eye, but supernovae can be bright enough to be visible in the day if they are close enough (which sadly, this is not.)

 

[Raddra]

Aren't the thing we see events that occurred maybe millions of years ago?

 

[Hoplon]

Yeah, the last hurrah of a star that died 4 million years ago, in it's death throws it will creating things like gold and seeding the space around it with the things needed for life to form.

What fucking retard said science takes the majesty out of the universe?

 

[StellarViking]

Supernovae*

ZOMG, WERE ALL GONNA DIE. TOLD YOU BOUT DAT 2012 STUFF.

In all seriousness, it's very cool but I doubt we'll live long enough to see it explode or implode or whatever. Dont know much about astronomy but doesnt it take awhile too explode or whatever they do?

Actually, supernovae stay at their brightest for anywhere between a few hours to a few months, depending on the type of supernova, so unless you're planning on dying within the next few weeks you'll outlive it.

If its true what he said the the supernova is about 400 millions trillion kilometers away, then through the magical power of a calculator I've counted that it's about 4,2 million lightyears...

Yeah, so even if it would explode right now, it'd take 4 million years before we could see it. Unless it already has exploded about 4 million years ago...

Which it has. That's how all light works, what we see is always "outdated" based on how far the object is.

Both "supernovas" and "supernovae" are acceptable plural forms of "supernova."

Anywho, to those raising questions about distance and time and whatnot:
it is around 38 million light-years distant, meaning that the supernova itself had occurred around 38 million years ago, and we are just now getting to see the light from it. It will likely continue for at least a few more days, possibly more, as it was a relatively large and hot star (Research indicates it is a Type II supernova). Who knows, in coming years we may be witness to the birth of a fancy new nebula (Though we likely wouldn't be able to see it until telescope technology improves, citing distance again), but whatever happens, it's still really interesting.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

ZOMG, WERE ALL GONNA DIE. TOLD YOU BOUT DAT 2012 STUFF.

In all seriousness, it's very cool but I doubt we'll live long enough to see it explode or implode or whatever. Dont know much about astronomy but doesnt it take awhile too explode or whatever they do?

It'll take a few weeks to "max out" and finish going all "supernovae". It'll just look like a brighter star if you look up at the sky during this time, and if you have a telescope you will also see a bright particle cloud around it, which is its own ejected mass.

Only supernovae in our own galaxy would have any kind of consequence felt on Earth. Even then it would have to be within a close region (33 light years) to flood us with enough ejection to ruin our biosphere to extinction.

Really? It's just hard to think that because everything in space takes awhile to do stuff. But anyway thats thats great, I will buy a telescope and sunscreen to celebrate.