Huge red star might explode soon and next few weeks are critical [Betelgeuse update]

CNET ^ | February 10, 2020 | Eric Mack

[Vince Ferrer]

Do we really want a supernova going off only 700 light years away?

That's a good question, and I don't know the answer. I do know that we don't want to be anywhere near a Gamma Ray Burst, and 700 light years might be too close for that. A Gamma Ray Burst is kind of like a supernova, except it is more a directional energy burst like a laser rather than a spherical explosion of a supernova.

[higgmeister]

Oh, year-after-year, too

[Nateman]

No mention in the article of the gravity bumps that LIGO and Virgo picked up. My theory is the star just added another layer of element formation. Perhaps it is making silicon in the core now. From what I’ve read about it a huge boost of Neutrinos will happen shortly before it explodes.

[Vince Ferrer]

Karl Jenkins - Benedictus

Stay with it.

[Ezekiel]

And what about KIC 9832227? Anyone ever recrunch the numbers?

"So something very unusual is going on,"

***

I suspect that a history report is about due. It had better be something very special. Herman the Kid, Bob Genghis Khan, So-crates Johnson...

[drop 50 and fire for effect]

It might sound like a nitpick, but whatever is happening to Betelgeuse that we are seeing today happened 700 years ago. I think it is an interesting thing to think about at least.

That was my first thought. The only thing happening in the next few weeks is that we find out what happened centuries ago.

[Repeal The 17th]

If something is traveling towards you at the speed of light,
you won’t see it coming.

[Redmen4ever]

By Betelgeuse going supernova “soon,” they mean 642 years ago. The light we are seeing from this star takes a while to get to us. Good thing, too, because were it 150 light years away or closer, we’d be devastated by such an event.

[fieldmarshaldj]

“Well... we’re waiting !”

[Revel]

It seems like almost every article I read like this leave out the fact that we are only seeing things that happened so long ago. This is actually the 2nd misleading article on star events that I have seen today.

Earlier I read about a repeating radio type signal that was being picked up from someplace 500,000 light years away. The article failed to mention that they are hearing something that was sourced from 500,000 years ago. A lot can change in that amount of time.

[Celtic Conservative]

Guinan? What's the bartender doing in stellar cartography?

🖖

CC

[Mark17]

If something is traveling towards you at the speed of light, you won’t see it coming.

LOL. I don’t think I will lose any sleep over it. 😁

[Louis Foxwell]

No. That means if we see it explode it happened 700 years ago.

[Paul R.]

Of the following objects careening through the Universe toward the end of their useful lives, which is the most dangerous to Earth:

A) Betelgeuse

B) Some unknown asteroid

C) Bernie Sanders

D) Joe Biden

[Louis Foxwell]

DANGER DANGER

[Louis Foxwell]

Betelgeuse is actually only 430 light years away.

That changes everything. In 270 years I could be really old.

[Louis Foxwell]

I was about to ask if that thing can do us harm,

Don't ask. Don't tell.

[rawcatslyentist]

They are missing an opportunity to explain the vastness of space.

Even if the fish can see the surroundings of it's aquarium, could it ever really grasp the reality of it?

I suspect even the "vastness" of space isn't really vast compared to outside the aquarium.

[jmacusa]

“In 270 years I could be old’’. I'll be 64 in April but I identify as 46.

[Louis Foxwell]

Yes-and it means if it exploded it could have done so in 1330 and we won’t know it for another decade. But-if it does happen-it will not be good if it’s pointed this direction.

But if it exploded in 1310 we saw it 10 years ago and I do not remember that.

Unless Betelgeuse is only 470 light years away in which case it might have happened in 1550 and that means IT IS HAPPENING TO US RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW. It is time to panic!!

Do super novas point? I didn't know that. I am going to hide behind a tree for a while.