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username
Title: owner of a lonely heart
Joined: Jul 06 2007
Location: phoenix, az usa
Posts: 16136
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| Quote: |
The red supergiant star Betelgeuse is getting ready to go supernova, and when it does Earth will have a front-row seat. The explosion will be so bright that Earth will briefly seem to have two suns in the sky.
The star is located in the Orion Nebula, about 640 light-years away from Earth. It's one of the bright and biggest stars in our galactic neighborhood - if you dropped it in our Solar System, it would extend all the way out to Jupiter, leaving Earth completely engulfed. In stellar terms, it's predicted to explode in the very near future. Of course, the conversion from stellar to human terms is pretty extreme, as Betelgeuse is predicted to explode anytime in the next million years.
But still, whether the explosion occurs in 2011 or 1002011 (give or take 640 years for the light to reach Earth), it's going to make for one of the most unforgettable light shows in our planet's history. For a few weeks, the supernova will be so bright that there will appear to be two stars in the sky, and night be will indistinguishable from day for much of that time. So don't count on getting a lot of sleep when Betelgeuse explodes, because the only sensible thing for the world to do will be to throw a weeks-long global supernova party. |
http://current.com/news/92931653_earth-may-soon-have-a-second-sun.htm
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| Klimbatize wrote: |
| I'll eat a turkey sandwich while blowing my load |
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Syd Lexia
Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posts: 24887
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Your mom's going to have a second son.
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Douche McCallister
Moderator
Title: DOO-SHAY
Joined: Jan 26 2007
Location: Private Areas
Posts: 5672
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How do we know it hasn't already gone supernova since the light from these stars takes so long to get here? Also a few weeks of day would totally kill me, let my great great great grandchildren have it.
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Methid Man
Title: Spawn of Billy Mays
Joined: Nov 23 2010
Location: Hackensack, NJ
Posts: 544
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If and when it does happen, I can expect people to say "Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse!"
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RIP Hacker |
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Douche McCallister
Moderator
Title: DOO-SHAY
Joined: Jan 26 2007
Location: Private Areas
Posts: 5672
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| Methid Man wrote: |
| If and when it does happen, I can expect people to say "Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse!" |
Haha didn't even realize that was the name.
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SoldierHawk
Moderator
Title: Warrior-Poet
Joined: Jan 15 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 6113
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This is the most awesome thing, ever. I just wish you hadn't beaten me to posting it!
I seriously hope this happens in my lifetime. The universe is so damn cool.
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| William Shakespeare wrote: |
| Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. |
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Lady_Satine
Title: Head of Lexian R&D
Joined: Oct 15 2005
Location: Metro area, Georgia
Posts: 7287
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If that day comes I'll be putting "Jump in the Line (Shake, Shake Senora)" at the top of my playlists.
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"Life is a waste of time. Time is a waste of life. Get wasted all the time, and you'll have the time of your life!" |
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GPFontaine
Joined: Dec 06 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 11244
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| Syd Lexia wrote: |
| Your mom's going to have a second son. |
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Mr. Satire
Joined: Jun 08 2010
Location: Termina Field
Posts: 1541
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| SoldierHawk wrote: |
| I seriously hope this happens in my lifetime. The universe is so damn cool. |
I really doubt it, since the resulting light takes over 600 years to reach Earth.
But that stuff would be awesome to experience.
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Signature by Hacker (RIP) |
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Doddsino
Joined: Oct 01 2009
Posts: 5316
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I always like how stars kill themselves. Fucking classic.
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Shut up, Dorn
Title: White Chocolate
Joined: Jan 04 2008
Location: Grate Whyte Norf
Posts: 1179
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So the whole world would turn into Alaska for a few weeks.
It would kind of be like if we got hit by a "Light Nexus"...except that we wouldn't be swept into a fake christmas ignoring the fact that we hate children and never are sad? (Deep Thoughts... by Jack Handey).
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SoldierHawk
Moderator
Title: Warrior-Poet
Joined: Jan 15 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 6113
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| Mr. Satire wrote: |
| SoldierHawk wrote: |
| I seriously hope this happens in my lifetime. The universe is so damn cool. |
I really doubt it, since the resulting light takes over 600 years to reach Earth.
But that stuff would be awesome to experience. |
Well, I think the point is, it MAY have happened over 600 years ago; we just won't know until the light reaches us, which may be in our lifetime. (Or may not.) That's what I got from the article anyway.
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| William Shakespeare wrote: |
| Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. |
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bassguy252
Title: Professional Malcontent
Joined: May 26 2010
Location: Mount Dhoom!!!!!!!
Posts: 517
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this would be so cool
im sure after a week we would all get sick of it though
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Let's assume it's a mixture of the two!
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FNJ
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Joined: Jun 07 2006
Posts: 12294
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Wow, Superman's gonna be PISSED!
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Atma
Title: Dragoon
Joined: Apr 29 2010
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 2450
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| SoldierHawk wrote: |
| The universe is so damn cool. |
Soooo Much This.
I love this kinda shit.
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GPFontaine
Joined: Dec 06 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 11244
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| SoldierHawk wrote: |
| Mr. Satire wrote: |
| SoldierHawk wrote: |
| I seriously hope this happens in my lifetime. The universe is so damn cool. |
I really doubt it, since the resulting light takes over 600 years to reach Earth.
But that stuff would be awesome to experience. |
Well, I think the point is, it MAY have happened over 600 years ago; we just won't know until the light reaches us, which may be in our lifetime. (Or may not.) That's what I got from the article anyway. |
Or we could get to inventing stuff and check it out in the future!
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UsaSatsui
Title: The White Rabbit
Joined: May 25 2008
Location: Hiding
Posts: 7565
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I think that article is exaggerating. It may dominate the night sky, but it's not gonna light up the night like a second sun. Supernovas have happened before. It'll probably be more like a second moon than a second sun.
It'd still be awesome.
And yes, the character's name is "Betelgeuse". But who would go to see a movie called that?
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Dr. Jeebus
Moderator
Title: SLF Harbinger of Death
Joined: Sep 03 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posts: 5228
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Fun fact: The star Betelgeuse is part of a constellation, and because of it's location it was named Betelgeuse because it literally means "the giant's armpit."
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dr.jeebus.sydlexia.com - Updated sometimes, but on hiatus!
| UsaSatsui wrote: |
| The three greatest heels in history...Andy Kaufman, Triple H, and Dr. Jeebus |
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E. Most Peninsula
Title: The Third Wheel
Joined: Mar 19 2010
Location: The Arid Void (Texas).
Posts: 91
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I'm kinda hoping I'm dead before this. It'd be cool for just a day or so, but I like the dark. A lot.
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"And on the other hand, you have different fingers."
*head implodes* |
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Beach Bum
Joined: Dec 08 2010
Location: At the pants party.
Posts: 1777
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Yeah it does sound interesting to see but I wonder if it will actually be as bright as the sun or if that is just blowing smoke up our asses. I'd have trouble discerning when to go to bed if there was light coming in the window all night lol.
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Dr. Jeebus
Moderator
Title: SLF Harbinger of Death
Joined: Sep 03 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posts: 5228
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Atma
Title: Dragoon
Joined: Apr 29 2010
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 2450
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| Dr. Jeebus wrote: |
| Unless I read this wrong, we won't see it until 640 years after it happens, so none of us will see it, and probably no humans ever will. |
QFT.
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UsaSatsui
Title: The White Rabbit
Joined: May 25 2008
Location: Hiding
Posts: 7565
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| Dr. Jeebus wrote: |
| Unless I read this wrong, we won't see it until 640 years after it happens, so none of us will see it, and probably no humans ever will. |
As was mentioned, we won't -know- when it happens, or if it even has already, we only find out 640 years after the fact. For all we know the star a splode 639 years ago and it's all set to make those 2012 end-of-the-world people just completely lose their shit.
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Beach Bum
Joined: Dec 08 2010
Location: At the pants party.
Posts: 1777
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That would actually be pretty awesome. Maybe if enough people freak out one might be willing to give me a new TV for a Snack Cup and a PS3 for the remains of a bag of Cheetos so they can go hide in a cave or something.
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Doddsino
Joined: Oct 01 2009
Posts: 5316
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Fuck the TV, sign over your Jaguar, Mr. Moneybags.
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