Biggest stellar explosion detected (bigger than a supernova)

International Herald Tribune ^ | 8 May 07 | Dennis Overbye

[saganite]

In a cascade of superlatives that belies the traditional cerebral reserve of their profession, astronomers reported Monday that they had seen the brightest and most powerful stellar explosion ever recorded.

The cataclysm - a monster more than a hundred times as energetic as the typical supernova in which normal massive stars end their lives - may be an example, they said, of a completely new type of explosion.

Such a blast, proposed but never seen, would explain how the earliest and most massive stars in the universe ended their lives and strewed new elements across space to fertilize future stars and planets.

"It is quite possibly the most massive star that has ever been seen to explode," said Nathan Smith of the University of California, Berkeley, who estimated the star as "freakishly massive," about 150 times the mass of the sun.

Smith led a team of astronomers from Berkeley and the University of Texas who have submitted a paper about the supernova to The Astrophysical Journal and discussed the results at a news conference from the NASA headquarters in Washington.

"We're really excited about this," he said. "If it really is what we think it is, it forces us to rethink how massive stars die."

snip

The star bears an eerie resemblance to Eta Carinae, a star in our own galaxy that has been burbling and bubbling in the last few centuries as if getting ready for its own outburst. The observations suggest that the troubled and enigmatic Eta Carinae, thought to weigh in at about 120 solar masses, could blow up sooner than theorists have thought. Mario Livio, a theorist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, in Baltimore, who was not involved in the research, said Eta Carinae's death could be "the most spectacular star show in history."

[newguy357]

Well, I meant “sight,” but “site,” works just as well.

[airborne]

His account was not closed.

He left on his own.

[ASA Vet]

JR purged most of the scientists, then got rid of the RinoRudyBots. The purge is mostly over now I guess.
Even long time Freepers with 9 years here got the ax.
Some went to a site called Wide Awakes or something like that.
The science folks went to Darwin Central.

[airborne]

He was not banned!

Ping him if you want.

His account is active.

[PA Engineer]

I enjoyed reading his posts. That was a mistake.

[ASA Vet]

Feel free to tell your version.

[airborne]

Why are you saying something that is so obviously false?

RadioAstronomer left on his own, but he was not banned.

[airborne]

I already did.

He and Jim disagreed.

He chose not to post anymore.

[airborne]

Feel free to tell your version.

He's free to tell it himself.

[Mr. K]

hmmmm how odd (I am a scientist too)

[saganite]

I just tried to send him a PM. There’s no one on the forum by that name so I can only assume he closed out his account or was purged.

[airborne]

PING!

[ASA Vet]

He was “pass worded” out. Ping all you want, but he can’t access his account. He is aware of this thread though, so go ahead an leave him a message.

[Fiddlstix]

.....how do I miss these things......

I seem to miss a lot of the good stuff too.
I did see the "host" thingy though by CGEB.
SB was already long gone when I heard about that one.

[airborne]

For whatever reason you no longer post here, I would welcome your return.

If you so desire.

I always enjoyed your posts and often learned from them.

[RightWingAtheist]

Rades was banned for having a both a keen brain and a sense of decency.

[saganite]

Who was Rades?

[snippy_about_it]

Yikes RA. I hope you are reading this. You need to freepmail me and/or Sam so we can talk. We miss you.

[snippy_about_it]

I’m an idiot. If you can’t get in you can’t freepmail. We moved and no longer have your number. Arrgh. If you are talking with ASA Vet maybe we can work through him.

[Coyoteman]

Yikes RA. I hope you are reading this. You need to freepmail me and/or Sam so we can talk. We miss you.

Check in to Darwin Central and you can communicate with him directly.