Starburst Was One of Brightest Objects Observed on Earth

NY Times ^ | February 18, 2005 | KENNETH CHANG

[thoughtomator]

The dimmest object ever observed on Earth:

... and the widest object ever observed on Earth:

[Recall]

I'll read it tomorrow. I just read:

Starbucks Was One of Brightest Objects Observed on Earth

It's 2:30 am..lol

[WestVirginiaRebel]

It was really done to fool the Cylons...

[ThreeYearLurker]

Here's a picture!

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

Since the object in question is 50 thousand light years away, the December event is a "delayed report" of an event at the object 50 thousand years ago (supposing that the speed of light in a vacuum really is constant over time).

Likely there are many other "delayed reports" out there. For all we know, the center of our galaxy detonated thousands of years ago and will, in due course, sweep away our world entirely. It's due for something like that anyway (2Pet3:10-13), although the timing is obscure.

[PatrickHenry]

This was posted twice before, the first time with the NASA title:
Cosmic Explosion Among the Brightest in Recorded History; and the someone posted it a second time, using some other title:
Brightest Galactic Flash Ever Detected Hits Earth.

[jriemer]

dead star went boom.

It's fallen and it can't get up.

[Verginius Rufus]

It's called SGR 1806-20 and is in the constellation Sagittarius, which is abbreviated SGR, so I thought the designation must be from its location until I read that SGR means "soft gamma repeater." Good thing it wasn't a hard gamma repeater.

Its magnetic field is a quadrillion times that of earth. We're talking serious numbers here--one quadrillion is 1000 times one trillion.

Meanwhile, today is the birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus, the founder of modern astronomy.

[Amelia]

This happened just before or just after the big tsunami?

[P.O.E.]

As I've been saying for years, this is the main reason why we should not transport White Castles cheeseburgers into the sun.

[neverdem]

The NASA news release was linked in the first comment. I find that it's interesting to have more than one perspective. Thank's for the other link.

[zeugma]

From the article you linked: Another clue to the pulsar/magnetar difference may lie in how fast neutron stars are spinning when they form. Gaensler and his team suggest that heavy stars will form neutron stars spinning at up to 500-1000 times per second. Such rapid rotation should power a dynamo and generate superstrong magnetic fields. 'Normal' neutron stars are born spinning at only 50-100 times per second, preventing the dynamo from working and leaving them with a magnetic field 1000 times weaker, says Gaensler.

HA! I knew there was something weird about that rotation rate!. Thanks for the link Ernest.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The bigger those stars are , the more they have magical properties. If you haven't read thru all of that link at post #17, try to find the time, it is quite good. The Universe is an astounding place. A great Book Reference is 100 Billion Suns, although it is somewhat dated, nothing about Magnetars, as I recall. My Son has my copy, so I can't check.

[Bogey78O]

Makes me wonder what's the possibility of a star exploding nearby and causing massive comm failure worldwide.

[Bogey78O]

I hear Moore is much fatter. His mass is so huge though it distorts his true appearance.

[ngc6656]

Makes me wonder what's the possibility of a star exploding nearby and causing massive comm failure worldwide.

If by expoding star you mean a supernova, there are three likely candidates nearby, astronomically speaking: Betelgeuse in Orion, Antares in Scorpio and Ras Algethi in Hercules. They are 430, 600 and 380 light years away, respectively.

Chances of one of those three becoming a supernova in the near future seem slim.

Someone more knowledgeable than me will have to address the subject of communications disruptions.

The visual effect would be stunning: image a pinpoint of light brighter than the aggregate light of the full moon --but not as bright as the sun.

There is an interesting discussion of supernovae at this web site:

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/supernova/

[Bogey78O]

Ever since I stopped studying astronomy in junior high it's all greek to me.

[SunkenCiv]

thanks E for the ping.