Record-Breaking X-Ray Blast, So Bright It Blinded Space Observatory Briefly

Space.com ^ | 07/14/2010 | Space.com

[Nateman]

How could they possibly know the date of origin?

Here is how.

[hc87]

How could they possibly know the date of origin?

It's 5 billion light years away.

They estimate the distance by using Type Ia supernovas as a benchmark standard. Type Ia supernovas always erupt with the same amount of energy, thus you can measure the luminescence of a type Ia supernova in a distant galaxy and estimate the distance to that galaxy by measuring the ratio of light observed, as compared to Type Ias in our galaxy.

Distance in our galaxy, by contrast can be measured by several other methods, including parallax (looking at a star from different points in the Earth's orbit and then use simple geometry to calculate distance) and looking at light emitted by a variable star type called a Cepheid (same principle as Type Ia supernova measurement). There are also several more exotic means of measuring light from other types of nova that give distance results on a galactic scale.

Long story short, it involves lots of math and physics.

[JmyBryan]

Thx for this reply.

[SunkenCiv]

Wow, another three-lister, thanks KoRn!

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[SunkenCiv]

Wow, another three-lister, thanks KoRn!

· join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic · subscribe ·

Google news searches: exoplanet · exosolar · extrasolar ·

[SunkenCiv]

Wow, another three-lister, thanks KoRn!

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[Erasmus]

143 000 photons per second could only be the flux intercepted by the sensor.

I’m just guessing—making a SWAG—that the total flux at the source would be about a quadrillion quadrillion times that.

[libsrscum]

"I’m just guessing—making a SWAG—that the total flux at the source would be about a quadrillion quadrillion times that."

quadrillion quadrillion times..?

Low-balling it, eh?

[samtheman]

a signal so bright it temporary blinded the NASA space telescope assigned to spot it

How could they "assign" a telescope to "spot" a signal before it arrives... when it arrives at the speed of light?

What was their advance notice, a remnant of quantum entanglement left over from the inflationary epoch?

Pssst... look over there.

[jesseam]

There is a Wolf Rayet star WR 104 some 8000 LY distant that is in a pre-super nova stage. The disturbing feature is that it appears to make a perfect spiral like we are looking down the barrel of a gun aimed at our planet . When it does go super nova and it could have done so within the last 8000 years it will blast earth with an incredible gamma ray burst (grb)that would literally cook us. Hopefully it is not aimed right at us so the GRB will miss but time will tell if it is on target. There is evidence that some of the mass die offs in the past could have been related to GRB’s that did not miss. Sleep well.

[Licensed-To-Carry]

Did we survive??

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Did we survive??

Unfortunately, yes...

[BenLurkin]

Hmmmm...

[Colinsky]

This still sounds like an awful feeble beam as light sources that are noticeable by humans go. Don’t worry about the dog and keep using your microwave.

Yeah, any supernova is totally puny compared to the Big Bang, and we're bathed in the Big Bang's radiation 24/7.

[silverleaf]

which way is it headed?

[okie01]

How does this math work? And does this mean emitted in all directions all told or per so much angular area or at the telescope or what?

Nowadays, science reporters are like science teachers. There's no requirement that they know or understand anything remotely scientific. Instead, they serve as "communicators", just as the teachers are "facilitators".

[HiTech RedNeck]

Isn't the temperature of the Big Bang's radiation somewhat lower than what is needed to churn out X-rays? Like several orders of magnitude?

[HiTech RedNeck]

rather apocalyptic sounding don’tcha think? how wide would the beam be, is it possible it could smite the Sun without doing much directly to the earth itself?

[TomasUSMC]

Lordy and I thought the budget deficit had lots of numbers.

[hc87]

How could they "assign" a telescope to "spot" a signal before it arrives... when it arrives at the speed of light?

Bad writing, I think.