Earth 'to get second sun this year' as supernova turns night into day (well, maybe)

Daily Mail ^ | 1/21/11 | David Gardner

[markomalley]

The Earth could soon have a second sun, at least for a week or two.

The cosmic phenomenon will happen when one of the brightest stars in the night sky explodes into a supernova.

And, according to a report yesterday, the most stunning light show in the planet’s history could happen as soon as this year.

Earth will undoubtedly have a front row seat when the dying red supergiant star Betelgeuse finally blows itself into oblivion.

The explosion will be so bright that even though the star in the Orion constellation is 640 light-years away, it will still turn night into day and appear like there are two suns in the sky for a few weeks.

The only real debate is over exactly when it will happen.

In stellar terms, Betelgeuse is predicted to crash and burn in the very near future. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to rush out and buy sunglasses.

Brad Carter, Senior Lecturer of Physics at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, claimed yesterday that the galactic blast could happen before 2012 – or any time over the next million years.

[alexander_busek]

I don’t get how that is supposed to be a “second sun.” The sun isn’t an especially bright star; it’s the star around which our planet revolves. Stupid article.

This is just an - albeit sloppy - way of saying that, for a short time, the inhabitants of Earth would have the impression that there was not merely one, but rather TWO Suns (two very bright, Sun-like bodies) in the sky - our actual Sun, and a second celestial body brighter than even the full Moon.

By the way: To those who complain about or mock the imprecision of the prediction that Betelgeuse could "go nova" either before 2012 or sometime in the next couple of million years: That was most assuredly the (stupid) formulation of the journalist, who was looking for a sensational headline.

Regards,

[alexander_busek]

Luke 21:25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.

Yeah... like there was ever a time in history when it wasn't like that!

Regards,

[The KG9 Kid]

Coming in from another thread, I wanted to add to 3niner's comments.

Bloody Sam Roberts, the kind of star that doesn't go supernova is our own yellow dwarf-type Sun "Sol" right here in the Solar System.

... so declares observational astrophysics, anyway. No sense betting against them if they're wrong, I think.

[wastedyears]

It’s impossible for anybody to have witnessed the event occur as it happened, that far away, as it would destroy everything humans understand about physics. Though it would confirm that certain events do travel faster than light itself.

Cosmic shockwave? I figure that would dissipate long before reaching this solar system.