Posted on 04/07/2011 5:59:38 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Images from NASA's Swift satellite were combined in this UV/optical/X-ray view of the explosion, which is known as GRB 110328A. The blast was detected in X-rays, which were collected on March 28.
CREDIT: NASA/Swift/Stefan Immler
A huge, powerful star explosion detonated in deep space last week an ultra-bright conflagaration that has astronomers scratching their heads over exactly how it happened.
The explosion may be the death cry of a star as it was ripped apart by a black hole, scientists said. High-energy radiation continues to brighten and fade from the March 28 blast's location, about 3.8 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. [Image of the space explosion]
Astronomers say they've never witnessed an explosion so bright, long-lasting and variable before, according to NASA officials.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
Just like shootin’ womp rats on Tatooine.
Women and minorities harmed first!
(pretty cool pic. I certainly would not wish to be within 20 parsecs of that one.)
Actually that's not correct, it exploded 3.8 billion years ago, were just now seeing the light.
Yeah, that happened when there was barely any life here, if any.
Yep, that’s mind blowing. With the speed of light @ 186000/sec that star was an unimaginable distance vector from earth.
Right ....but we know where it is.
GRB 110328A has repeatedly flared in the days following its discovery by Swift. This plot shows the brightness changes recorded by Swift's X-ray Telescope.
CREDIT: NASA/Swift/Penn State/J. Kennea
It is generating multiple X-Ray bursts.
fyi
Are we next?
something to ponder: Can the "universe" collapse back on itself after the "big bang"? They say the big bang lasted only a few seconds. Will the "big collapse happen just as quickly?
While the concept may be predictable in modern physics, it's certain we'll not see it coming.
I know, that was silly.
Actually you will see it coming. Gravity waves can’t travel faster than light either.
Now there is where zero should ask NASA to give him a ride to.
It was my understanding (granted, very limited) that gravity was not bound by time or space.
I've actually read some theory...maybe pop theory since I'm not trained on the subject...that once something has passed the event horizon of a black hole that there is no time, or time stands still.
Certainly nothing come out once in.
It stands to reason that as a black hole gets bigger and bigger that the event horizon will expand in some proportion to the hole itself.
Wouldn't that mean that we couldn't see it until it hit us?
Don't worry! I'm sure some Democrat will propose a federal program along with the appropriate tax increase to fund it so that all of America's special people will be protected and the planet saved too.
Actually, thats not correct either. We know where it WAS, 3.8 billion years ago.
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