Betelgeuse could beon the verge of going nova

[Marc]

Not the best written and tad cliched but it's being reported that scientist believe the star Betelgeuse is showing signs it could turn into a supernova.

And the could happen in the next year or so or it could be sometime in the next million (or it could already of happened).

Not aware of scientists ever having the chance to witness such an event which rubbish about the end of the world in 2012 aside could be very interesting.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...elgeuse-explodes/story-e6frea8c-1225992157511

ONE of the biggest stars in our galactic neighbourhood - Betelgeuse - is expected to go supernova "soon". The infamous red super-giant star in Orion’s nebula - Betelgeuse - is predicted to go gangbusters and the impending super-nova may reach Earth before 2012.
The second biggest star in the Orion constellation is losing mass, a typical indication that a gravitation collapse is occurring.
When that happens, we'll get our second sun, according to Dr Brad Carter, Senior Lecturer of Physics at the University of Southern Queensland.

 

[RoJoHen]

So, aside from several weeks of daylight, what effect would this actually have on us? Would the Earth's temperature increase? Would the planet get overwhelmed with radiation and kill us all? Or would we all just get really bad supernova sun burns?

 

[Marc]

So, aside from several weeks of daylight, what effect would this actually have on us? Would the Earth's temperature increase? Would the planet get overwhelmed with radiation and kill us all? Or would we all just get really bad supernova sun burns?

according to the article - zilch.

 

[RoJoHen]

I have a hard time believing all the light wouldn't have consequences. It would almost certainly kill several kinds of plant life. What about nocturnal creatures? Would we still have night time on the dark side of the planet, or would the light be so bright that it encompasses everything?

 

[Jadzia]

I'd like to see that, and it would be nice if it did happen in the next couple of years. At the same time I'd be sad to see the star gone.

I wonder how bright it would be. Would it shine as brightly as a full moon? as brightly as the sun? Would we need sunglasses to even consider going outside?

And what about other radiations? Formation of a neutron star surely throws out a lot of gamma rays as atoms get crunched together. Would we get any ionisation in Earth's atmosphere from those rays?

 

[RoJoHen]

The article seems to think it would be even brighter than the sun. I feel like that would cause some major problems.

 

[Avon]

it would cause a lot of idiots to freak out

 

[Jadzia]

The article seems to think it would be even brighter than the sun. I feel like that would cause some major problems.

Driving could be seriously affected if everything is blindingly bright. You wouldn't be able to see the traffic lights. So logistics could be a problem.

If there are gamma rays, and if they're non-trivial, that could seriously affect our satellite networks (communication and gps) which in turn would affect aircraft navigation, the internet, and militaristically we'd be ripe for invasion as our defense networks would probably be offline.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

It's a topic that has cropped up frequently, and I read (I think here on this BBS) reports about recent observations of Betelgeuse's diameter "shrinking" over the course of months and years. If it went supernova in our lifetime, it would mark the end of an era for amateur astronomers who grew up gazing at that red, inflamed shoulder of Orion's. Would make for a spectacular light show, though - predicted to be an apparent magnitude of -12 according to the Pedia of Wiki.

 

[Jadzia]

predicted to be an apparent magnitude of -12 according to the Pedia of Wiki.

So like a full moon? That wouldn't bring chaos. I want it to be brighter. :sulk:

 

[RoJoHen]

predicted to be an apparent magnitude of -12 according to the Pedia of Wiki.

So like a full moon? That wouldn't bring chaos. I want it to be brighter. :sulk:

Is that all? Lame!

We need a month of chaos to shake things up! The sunglasses industry would skyrocket!

 

[Brandonv]

I would hate to be observing Betelgeuse through a telescope at the exact moment it goes nova.

 

[Marc]

I would hate to be observing Betelgeuse through a telescope at the exact moment it goes nova.

bearing in mind that that the star is believed to be ~640 light years from Earth (though according to wiki esitmates have put the distance as between 180 and 1300 light years) it's possibliy already happened

Now when the light finally reaches Earth - well that's a different matter

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I would hate to be observing Betelgeuse through a telescope at the exact moment it goes nova.

bearing in mind that that the star is believed to be ~640 light years from Earth (though according to wiki esitmates have put the distance as between 180 and 1300 light years) it's possibliy already happened

Poor Zaphod.

Now when the light finally reaches Earth - well that's a different matter

I for one welcome our new gamma ray overlords.

 

[Reverend]

So what they're really saying is that Betelgeuse already HAS gone supernova several centuries back and the light and all that lovely gamma radiation is due to arrive in the next few years?

I look forward to seeing how all the religions react to this. I wonder if they'll try to claim credit for the light show on behalf of their deity of choice or declare the end is neigh again. I suppose it'd depend on what it dose to satellite communications. I know if it happens to fall on December 21, 2012 then we'll have to reconsider just how primitive the Mayan astronomers really were.

Either way, Orion is such a familiar constellation it'd be weird for it to be suddenly missing a bit.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

predicted to be an apparent magnitude of -12 according to the Pedia of Wiki.

So like a full moon? That wouldn't bring chaos. I want it to be brighter. :sulk:

Essentially -- much like what happened when the Crab Nebula star went supernova back in 1054. As you can see, we're still here.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[sojourner]

So what they're really saying is that Betelgeuse already HAS gone supernova several centuries back and the light and all that lovely gamma radiation is due to arrive in the next few years?

No, might have, or it could be in the next million years.

 

[Amaris]

Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse!

 

[Manticore]

Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse!

Now you've done it. The gamma rays will kill us all!

...I'm trying to work Michael Keaton and Tim Burton into this, and it just isn't working.

 

[Amaris]

Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse!

Now you've done it. The gamma rays will kill us all!

It's not like I care. I'm Irish. We don't tan anyway.

...I'm trying to work Michael Keaton and Tim Burton into this, and it just isn't working.

Um... I've got nothing.