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Nearby Star May Be Getting Ready to Explode (Supernova)
Fox News ^ | June 10th, 2009

Posted on 06/10/2009 9:14:37 PM PDT by TaraP

A bright star may soon explode in a supernova, according to data released by U.C. Berkeley researchers Tuesday.

The red giant Betelgeuse, once so large it would reach out to Jupiter's orbit if placed in our own solar system, has shrunk by 15 percent over the past decade in a half, although it's just as bright as it's ever been.

"To see this change is very striking," said retired Berkeley physics professor Charles Townes, who won the 1964 Nobel Prize for inventing the laser. "We will be watching it carefully over the next few years to see if it will keep contracting or will go back up in size."

Betelgeuse, whose name derives from Arabic, is easily visible in the constellation Orion. It gave Michael Keaton's character his name in the movie "Beetlejuice" and was the home system of Galactic President Zaphod Beeblebrox in "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: astronomy; betelgeuse; orion; star; supernova
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To: null and void

TRUE DAT!!! :-D


41 posted on 06/10/2009 9:48:18 PM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: stormer

LOVE that movie..except for the fact Winona Ryder can’t act her way out of a paper bag!


42 posted on 06/10/2009 9:49:18 PM PDT by Hildy
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To: null and void; PeaceBeWithYou
PeaceBWY is right. It is written to to the Jew. The Bride will be in the “chuppa” with the Bridegroom for the “bridal week”, while God is separating the wheat from the chaff with regards to His people; the Jews!!!
43 posted on 06/10/2009 9:52:03 PM PDT by Anti-Hillary (Yo Barry, IF FOR 20 YEARS YOU STAY IN THE PEW, IT'S BECAUSE YOU SHARE THE VIEW!!!!!)
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To: Hildy; TaraP
Imagine something like this:

Stretching across a quarter of the sky...

44 posted on 06/10/2009 9:53:35 PM PDT by null and void (We are now in day 142 of our national holiday from reality.)
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To: BradyLS

From Wikipedia:

“Before its close approach, Kohoutek was hyped by the media as the “comet of the century”. However, Kohoutek’s display was considered a let-down, leading some to nickname it “Comet Watergate”. However, although it failed to brighten to levels expected, it was still a naked eye object. Its greatest visual magnitude was -3, when it was at perihelion, 0.14 au from the Sun. Its orbital inclination is 14.3°. Its best viewing was in the night sky after perihelion, when it had dimmed to fourth magnitude. The comet also sported a tail up to 25° long, along with an anti-tail. ... Because Comet Kohoutek fell far short of expectations, its name became synonymous with spectacular duds. However, it was fairly bright as comets go and put on a respectable show in the evenings shortly after perihelion.”


45 posted on 06/10/2009 9:55:12 PM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: TaraP

This star has actually been imaged by the Hubble space telescope.

I hope it's axis of rotation is not pointed our way!

46 posted on 06/10/2009 9:56:17 PM PDT by Nateman (If liberals aren't screaming you're doing it wrong.)
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To: null and void
If you have infrared vision....
47 posted on 06/10/2009 9:59:50 PM PDT by DirtyHarryY2K (The Tree of Liberty is long overdue for its natural manure)
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To: TaraP
Betelgeuse, whose name derives from Arabic,

Doomsday gamma ray burst ping!


48 posted on 06/10/2009 10:00:34 PM PDT by Costumed Vigilante
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To: DirtyHarryY2K

Picky picky picky


49 posted on 06/10/2009 10:02:25 PM PDT by null and void (We are now in day 142 of our national holiday from reality.)
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To: Anti-Hillary; null and void
Seriously folks, it's in the first Chapter.

1:4 John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia.

The events are to happen "very soon".

Isn't it silly to be looking for them 2000 years after?

Especially when elsewhere, in multiple scriptures, we are told the "end" will be without signs?

Reject the Futurist scare tactics, use that brain in your head.

50 posted on 06/10/2009 10:04:38 PM PDT by PeaceBeWithYou (De Oppresso Liber! (50 million and counting in Afganistan and Iraq))
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To: null and void

LOL


51 posted on 06/10/2009 10:05:07 PM PDT by DirtyHarryY2K (The Tree of Liberty is long overdue for its natural manure)
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To: DirtyHarryY2K

“How soon?”

In the year 2525.....


52 posted on 06/10/2009 10:05:08 PM PDT by Frantzie
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To: Frantzie

I used to love that song when I was a kid, Haven’t heard it in years.


53 posted on 06/10/2009 10:07:07 PM PDT by DirtyHarryY2K (The Tree of Liberty is long overdue for its natural manure)
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To: JRandomFreeper

Implode?

Well vankrupt MexiFornia may implode next month and the USA’s economy aka ObamaNation may implode by late summer.

Rush Limbaugh better get more info out on the Kenyan BC ASAP.


54 posted on 06/10/2009 10:07:17 PM PDT by Frantzie
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To: Dallas59

"Never let a galactic crisis go to waste."

55 posted on 06/10/2009 10:09:31 PM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: LdSentinal

I am sorry but it happened about 600 years ago. The average distance to it is 639 LY but some scientist say about 500 some say a thousand. Let’s go with the 600 Light years, which means anything that we observe with this star happened 600 years ago(+/- 100 or so years). At any rate it has either blown up or not a long time ago!


56 posted on 06/10/2009 10:09:34 PM PDT by calex59
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To: calex59

Schrödinger’s star...


57 posted on 06/10/2009 10:12:11 PM PDT by null and void (We are now in day 142 of our national holiday from reality.)
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To: null and void

I have a quetzal. Any speculation on when the huitlacoche hits the fan?


58 posted on 06/10/2009 10:12:56 PM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: piasa

Soon. Hang onto your ahuacatls.


59 posted on 06/10/2009 10:14:49 PM PDT by null and void (We are now in day 142 of our national holiday from reality.)
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To: TaraP
I have become a super duper cynic. I hate it. I used to a much nicer person.

The media is hell bent on creating fear. There must be some payback...(like continued readership of junk reporting???) like trying to see how we will be destroyed next.

Gee there was Legionaries, Sars, Bird Flu, Swine Flu, Coffee (bad), Eggs (bad), the Ice age of the 1970’s, the global warming of 2009.

Now a planet “may” crash into us.

Go away media...I think I'll ride my bike with no helmet. I may really rebel..and not buckle my seatbelt.

60 posted on 06/10/2009 10:15:18 PM PDT by berdie (Philosophies of the school room in one generation will reflect the government philosophy of the next)
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