Earth Getting Second Sun
Earth Getting Second Sun
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Summary:
Kinda interesting...
I assume they're referring to Betelguese. Kinda cool if you ask me, but it probably won't even be this century before it happens.
Well, if it could be a Super-nova at any time, perhaps is not Betelgeuse… But, I'm not an astronomer so don't trust me very much.
It could be nice, but if the night will be brighter, how the day will be? Outstanding?
"All science is either physics or stamp collecting." - Ernest Rutherford
Betelguese can go super-nova in days LOL this is wrong by the way :) however it is ready to blow at anytime, it has been for a long time, so I have been looking around my astronomy sites and they are saying it's not true I posted a link there yesterday which I thought was funny anyways here is what one guy said.
To be completely clear; when Betelgeuse blows, it will illuminate the ground about as much as a nearly full Moon. but it will just be a tiny point in the sky. Betelgeuse is one of the very few stars that can be seen as a disc in a very big telescope; but unless you've got one of those handy, all you'll see is a point, a bit like a welder's torch. Lots of UV too, so don't stare at it.
The explosion might happen any time in the next ten thousand years, so don't be surprised if it doesn't happen in your lifetime.
hope this helps a little bit ;)
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein
Thank you, it helps.
Peace!
"All science is either physics or stamp collecting." - Ernest Rutherford
http://www.chacha.com/topic/sun/news/is-earth-getting-a-second-sun
I should note right here that this is not the same thing as the "second sun" crap that we have seen on YouTube and elsewhere, despite the rather unfortunate choice of image accompanying that article.
If Betelgeuse goes supernova in our lifetimes, it will be an awesome event to behold, but the likelihood of that happening isn't very good. In my opinion, it seems a bit irresponsible to claim, "This could happen by as early as 2012…." I didn't know the science of forecasting stellar explosions had come so far. I wonder what that statement is based on, because I think it's just as valid to say, "This could happen as early as tomorrow."
I have been all over this for the past 4 or 5 months ;) think it's pretty awesome you can see it in the night sky just above Orions Belt :D lovely red/orange glow to it ;)
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein
Look down and to the left, and you'll see Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. When it's low like that you'll see it flash colors, as the atmosphere bends and refracts the light.
That only happens with the brighter stars, because there is enough light to trigger the color photoreceptors in your eyes. It's also more likely to happen in the winter when the atmosphere is denser.
"Do you ever think about things you do think about?" - Henry Drummond to Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit the Wind
Yep… someone else pointed this out to me in email.
They're talking about Betelgeuse. It could go supernova in 2012. It could go supernova tomorrow. It could go supernova a million years from now. It is interesting because it is close enough that it will be very bright, probably visible in the daylight. However, it is far enough away that it will not be harmful.
From the article:
efore all of you 2012 doomsday believers go all haywire, then you should know that this event will be harmless to Earth.
"Do you ever think about things you do think about?" - Henry Drummond to Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit the Wind
You should notice the sensationalistic way they reported this. That is just designed to scare people, and is completely inaccurate. It is a prime example of the tricks used to make things sound like much more than they actually are. Obviously, we aren't getting a second sun. But it just doesn't sound nearly as exciting to say "It's possible that we might see Betelgeuse go supernova during our lifetimes, or not." or "If Betelgeuse goes supernova, we might even be able to see it during the day." Somehow, it just doesn't have the same effect. As Ruby Rodd said in the Fifth Element, "It must pop, pop, POP!
This is just an interesting video from Phil Plait about Betelgeuse and other supernova candidates:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH_iwCgGwEg&feature=related
Note: Dated 2008
Edit: Original news source issues follow-up article:
They pour cold water on the 'second sun' and the 2012 date, but still include second sun imagery from Star Wars.
I'm sure about one thing: it will be a new experience for us.
PS: what is this?
"All science is either physics or stamp collecting." - Ernest Rutherford
What's that? By coordinates, it's this.
This is what plait says about:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/01/21/betelgeuse-and-2012/
It's like they just used 2012 to attempt to draw in an audience. The chance we'll see Betelgeuse go supernova in 2012 is not much different that this year or 2013. I can only assume they don't think drawing attention to fictional disasters in this way is unimportant.
As far as I have read the story, it is some reporter that probably believes 2012 himself that has taken the quotes out of context and created his own story. And that story became viral.
No scientists claimed that 2012 will be the date!
Not surprisingly, it's being ballyhooed on such reliable websites as The Rabbit Hole.
Boy, I saw Plait in a documentary about the sun in National Geografear Channel, and he was great. He is quite funny when talks about this. And I just think that we need more scientists like him. :)
"All science is either physics or stamp collecting." - Ernest Rutherford
I'll have to see if I can find that. Phil Plait is really good. I haven't seen him, but I've used him as a source quite a bit. By the way, I like your National Geografear name for them.
Correcting: The documentary with Phil Plait that I saw is on Discovery Channel, not on National Geografear Channel. And I think you will not find it anymore. It's name should be: How The Universe Works: Stars. This program went off the air recently.
But you could find Phil in any other documentary on DIscovery.
"All science is either physics or stamp collecting." - Ernest Rutherford
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