How Long Has It Been Since We Saw A Supernova?

Forbes ^ | 12/31/2019 | Kiona N. Smith

[BenLurkin]

Betelgeuse has gotten dramatically dimmer over the last few weeks, astronomers say the change probably isn’t a symptom of an impending stellar explosion.

That’s good news for any planets in the star’s orbit... But it’s disappointing news for Earth-based astronomers and stargazers, who haven’t been able to watch the death of a star with their unaided eyes since 1987, and may not have another chance for centuries.

In 1987, a supernova called SN 1987A, marked the death of a blue giant star in the Large Magellanic Cloud, one of the dwarf galaxies that orbits the Milky Way. 168,000 years after the star ran out of fuel and collapsed in on itself, the light of the resulting explosion reached Earth’s southern hemisphere – preceded a few hours earlier by a series of neutrino bursts.

[Fightin Whitey]

Plus the car is cool.

[SunkenCiv]

BenLurkin
• Is Betelgeuse About To Explode? [2019]
• A shift and acceleration coming in April[ Charismatic Caucus] [2018]
• Amazing New Views of Betelgeuse Courtesy of ALMA [2017]
• AMAZING NEW VIEWS OF BETELGEUSE COURTESY OF ALMA [2017]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- A 212-Hour Exposure of Orion [2015]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Orion Over and Under Tibet [2015]
• Astroquizzical: What happens when Betelgeuse explodes? [2015]
• When Will Betelgeuse Explode? (Constellation Orion) [2014]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Gegenschein Over Chile [2014]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Hunter's Stars [2012]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Stardust and Betelgeuse [2011]
• Dying Star Betelgeuse Won't Explode in 2012, Experts Say [2011]
• Earth 'to get second sun this year' as supernova turns night into day (well, maybe) [2011]
• Is Betelgeuse about to blow? (going supernova in weeks or just another breathless rumor?) [2010]
• Astronomy Picture Of The Day [2009]
• Nearby Star May Be Getting Ready to Explode (Supernova) [2009]
• Giant star Betelgeuse mysteriously shrinking: study [2009]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day 3-21-03 [2003]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day 2-07-03 [2003]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day 12-25-02 [2002]

[SunkenCiv]

join or quit view topics view or post blog bookmark post new topic subscribe

[SunkenCiv]

That’s how they roll.

[oldvirginian]

I had one of those!
The car AND the blonde became too expensive to keep so I got rid of them both. ;)

[PIF]

His stardom lasted 13 hours ...

[ByteMercenary]

Not sure when the last super-nova was but I predict the next will be early next Nov 4th

[Fightin Whitey]

It’s as they say, you just passed them on to another good home.

[Ouderkirk]

If nothing can go faster than light, then how did those neutrinos get here before the light did?

One would assume that the neutrino burst happend before...

[oldvirginian]

“It’s as they say, you just passed them on to another good home.”

I was VERY careful about where the car went.
The blonde...not so much.

[headstamp 2]

An angry female Nutria is known as a Nutritious.

[Fightin Whitey]

Blonde? There was a blonde too?

[oldvirginian]

“Blonde? There was a blonde too?”

Yup.
Divorcing the blonde is what really made it too expensive to keep the car.
The car I had still looks great.
The blonde has been rode hard and put away wet too many times to count and shows it. =:0)