Is Betelgeuse about to blow? (going supernova in weeks or just another breathless rumor?)

DiscoverMagazine ^ | 6/01/10 | Phil Plait

[Hoodat]

And for those looking for Beetlejuice, he is at the top of Orion.

[Red Steel]

There hasn’t been a supernova seen in this galaxy since about the time of Sir Issac Newton.

[EGPWS]

Cool suit.

[KevinDavis]

It's Showtime!!



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[mnehring]

So, is it going to blow in weeks, thus us not notice it for 510 years or did she blow 510 years ago, less a couple of weeks?

[EGPWS]

There hasn’t been a supernova seen in this galaxy since about the time of Sir Issac Newton.

I missed that one, anyone else catch it?

[FroggyTheGremlim]

“So, what’s the deal with Betelgeuse? What is it, will it explode, and if so, when?”

December 21, 2012.

[Blood of Tyrants]

My sources say that it went supernova 518 years ago and we will see it at it’s strongest on Dec 12, 2012.

[pnh102]

So, is it going to blow in weeks, thus us not notice it for 510 years or did she blow 510 years ago, less a couple of weeks?

I was wondering that too... If we see the star blow at this very moment it means the event occurred long ago and the light from it is just reaching our viewing limit now.

[hennie pennie]

*bookmark*

[FroggyTheGremlim]

Super Nova

[Tallguy]

Looks like Orion might need rotator cuff surgery...

[Red Steel]

I missed that one, anyone else catch it?

You must have been holed up inside some cave posting on FR.

The Last Supernova: 400-Year-Old Explosion Imaged
By Robert Roy Britt
Senior Science Writer
posted: 06 October, 2004
12:01 p.m. ET

"Four hundred years ago this week, a previously unseen star suddenly appeared in the night sky. Discovered on Oct. 9, 1604, it was brighter than all other stars...."

[wally_bert]

A guy from around that area is in front of the dozer.

[Brugmansian]

Phil Plait writes for Discover: By luminous, I mean something like 100,000 times that of the Sun, and by close I mean roughly 600 light years away if not more. That’s 6 quadrillion kilometers, or almost 4 quadrillion miles. In other words, quite a hike. Betelgeuse is a red supergiant. It has a mass of something like 20 times the Sun’s . .

Like I'm glad like you wrote this Phil because I meet people, "roughly" I dunno maybe 8 or 9 like, who are concerned about this and like what a real scientists with like, you know, hard facts and who is able to write good English to explain to us, like, if there is a problem or not and "roughly" what might happen like.

[count-your-change]

Oh yeah, what about Chevy Nova SS?

[JRandomFreeper]

I must have been busy. I missed it too.

It is good that they can see the bulge. That should indicate the poles aren't pointed at us, and we shouldn't fry like bacon in a cheap aluminum pan.

The author misses some facts. It's not directly the distance to the star that matters. It's where it's pointed that determines where the mass extinction event occurs. Not being pole on to it is a Good Thing(tm).

/johnny

[Oceander]

Beautiful write-up. Even given all the caveats, I still have to say that it would be awe-inspiring if it actually blew within our lifetimes.

[JRandomFreeper]

what about Chevy Nova SS

I heard that Chevy sold the dies to south america and they continue to build it, but they had do change the name. No va, means no go in espanol.

Bada bing. I'll be here all week, try the veal.

/johnny