Why was Nero angry at Spock?

[Franklin]

I've never understood this bit, how can a single star going nova threaten the entire Galaxy? or infact how can it even effect anything outside of a few lightyears perhaps? the nova wouldn't even be travelling faster than light sooooooo ya know.

Can I have an explanation please about this Hobus star thingy?

It is greatly simplified in the movie, but it is based (as much as any Trek is) in an at least credible scenario.

While NASA concludes that no star anywhere near the Earth is going supernova any time within the next few million years, there are those who estimate that a supernova anywhere within 30 light years of Earth could destroy it by ripping off our ozone layer. Even one 3000 light years away may affect the planet (or at least anything orbiting it).
There are also those who say that while a supernova may not directly harm the earth, nutrino bursts from it could activate our star, heating it up and endangering the Earth.

So, there is at least some science to the belief that a star going supernova could have a disasterous effect on a very large area.

Ok but then begs the question why was Romulus destroyed so quickly, it should take many many many years for the supernova from a nearby star to reach another star system. When Spock went to stop the supernova he was shocked it had exploded and destroyed Romulus, he was too late so clearly the supernova must be capable of FTL travel unless the Hobus star was a star within the Romulus star system and the Romulus star system is a binary or trinary star system.

I think we know the real answer to that: artistic license. We can't wait 300 or even 30 years for the effect to reach Romulus. It's just a question of how much disbelief you want to suspend.

 

[Phily B]

Honestly, the only reason they went with the stupid super nova was because in the movie it'd be far easier to say "super nova" than go into detail explaining the omega particle.

 

[Roshi]

... because nero was one troubled Romulan?

 

[spaceballone]

The countdown comic states that this star was a special case and would create an explosion much more powerful than any other supernova.

 

[mvkemp]

Ok but then begs the question why was Romulus destroyed so quickly, it should take many many many years for the supernova from a nearby star to reach another star system. When Spock went to stop the supernova he was shocked it had exploded and destroyed Romulus, he was too late so clearly the supernova must be capable of FTL travel unless the Hobus star was a star within the Romulus star system and the Romulus star system is a binary or trinary star system.

There could have been a star several light hours away that orbits the Romulan sun way the heck out in the solar system. Or maybe the Romulan sun and system orbits a much larger star at a pretty big distance, who knows.

But stars just don't explode without warning due to natural causes. If it was natural, it should have caught absolutely no one by surprise, especially several space faring civilizations.