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

Absolutely wrong. There will be all sorts of signs. It's the actual DAY of the LORD that comes suddenly.

"When that time comes no grown man will know peace, for many troubles will inflict all the inhabitants of the country." (2 Chron.15:5).

"Think of the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you know that summer is now near. So with you when you see these signs happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. "

81 posted on 06/10/2009 10:46:20 PM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: JRandomFreeper
So.... We've got 600 years +/- the time it takes from now until it implodes(has imploded/may implode) to make sure we're not in the way.

The effects of the explosion travel at the speed of light too.

82 posted on 06/10/2009 10:51:38 PM PDT by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
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To: BP2

Well if we are to be gamma rayed to death there isn’t much we can do about it. We can always comfort ourselves in knowing the left will be taken out also:)


83 posted on 06/10/2009 10:53:25 PM PDT by calex59
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To: ClaudiusI
it will make Supernova 1054 pale by comparison. SN1054 could be seen during the daytime and cast shadows at night.

What's left of SN1054.

We first knew it as the "Crab Nebulae"

84 posted on 06/10/2009 10:53:54 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: TaraP

You believe in any of that 2012 end of the world business?
Do you think this is a countdown to the end of days?


85 posted on 06/10/2009 10:55:23 PM PDT by Finalapproach29er (A woman will be the next President; I hope it's Palin instead of HRC.)
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To: JRandomFreeper
On Coast to Coast AM now, there is a special about 2012 ... I wonder if there is a correlation between this star going super nova, Planet X that is suppose to enter our part of the solar system, and 2012 ??
86 posted on 06/10/2009 10:56:48 PM PDT by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM .53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart, there is no GOD.)
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To: Nateman
For all we know they may already be on there way.

They could be entering the Oort Cloud as we type. Although I'd think they might be just a bit farther away, depending on how fast the collapse to supernova phase goes.

87 posted on 06/10/2009 10:57:08 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: JRandomFreeper
DUDE! I'm not living through 600+ more family reunions just to see a star blow up and gamma-burst humanity into crispy critters.

If it blew it's top 559 years ago, you might not even have to suffer through one more reunion.

88 posted on 06/10/2009 10:58:54 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: null and void

I would but this cihuatl never grew any tecuixin pears!


89 posted on 06/10/2009 11:06:53 PM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: PeaceBeWithYou
It is really hard to say with any certainty, It is believed that the poles are not pointed at us, will that be true after it supernovas?

The article I read said it was at 20 degrees. The maximum width of a beam is 20 degrees. The Problem with both of those is the margin of error. You can be sure however if it is pointing at us it's not going to change much. Angular momentum is allot like a speeding car, it takes a lot of force to change its direction.

We could do something if we knew it was coming though, we could stock up on those creatures we wanted to save along with whatever supplies they'd need.

90 posted on 06/10/2009 11:13:15 PM PDT by Nateman (If liberals aren't screaming you're doing it wrong.)
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To: Nathan Zachary
I pity you, brother. As long as you let the Futurist scare mongers control you, you can have no peace.

Let it go, the Savior is risen, the Kingdom is come, and you are missing it looking for events already past.

91 posted on 06/10/2009 11:15:42 PM PDT by PeaceBeWithYou (De Oppresso Liber! (50 million and counting in Afganistan and Iraq))
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To: calex59

LOL, unfortunately, the Left in this country mimics the cockroach in almost every way. A shoe doesn’t seem to work — gamma rays just might not kill them.

Education and vigilance is about the only poison for their ilk.


92 posted on 06/10/2009 11:16:52 PM PDT by BP2 (I think, therefore I'm a conservative)
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To: Nateman

Nateman’s Ark? Now there’s a blast from the past.


93 posted on 06/10/2009 11:17:59 PM PDT by PeaceBeWithYou (De Oppresso Liber! (50 million and counting in Afganistan and Iraq))
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To: JRandomFreeper
One more bad pun, and I'm reporting you both to the priests as volunteers for sun-god worship. ;)

Party huitlatler!

94 posted on 06/10/2009 11:18:23 PM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: El Gato

Hm, I’d have been closer with the asteroid field between Mars and Jupiter.


95 posted on 06/10/2009 11:20:20 PM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: PeaceBeWithYou
Nateman’s Ark? Now there’s a blast from the past.

More like a cave supplied with a nuclear power plant for power and lights. You would have allot of noxious nitrogen oxide (smog) blotting out the sun. You have to have a means for spitting that air up again to make it breathable. (A cave is a nice place to stay warm. It's would get cold outside because not much light is hitting the ground anymore!)

96 posted on 06/10/2009 11:31:08 PM PDT by Nateman (If liberals aren't screaming you're doing it wrong.)
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To: Nateman

spitting should be splitting. Opps


97 posted on 06/10/2009 11:37:55 PM PDT by Nateman (If liberals aren't screaming you're doing it wrong.)
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To: TaraP

revelations contains many references to the stars and, possibly, the constellations and their movements. It is not hard to believe that ancient astrologers tracked celestial events and passed tales of these events down the generations via oral traditions and stories which eventually made it into written stories although the original meanings likely were lost and/or corrupted (or maybe not).
For example:
revelations 12:3 Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.

12:4 His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky...
It is not hard to imagine that this refers to the constellation Draco which is huge and which was named and described at least as early as 100 AD by Ptolemy in his seminal treatise on astrology, the “Apotelesmatika”.

and:
revelations 12:14 Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

The great Eagle could easily describe the ancient constellation Aquila which was also listed by Ptolemy suggesting its existence was known and followed by the ancients. The Serpent is then the constellation “Serpens” which was also listed in the aforemtioned treatise. There are many other similar references to stars, constellations and their movements...IMHO of course.


98 posted on 06/11/2009 12:02:25 AM PDT by RC one
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To: Nathan Zachary
The destruction of Babylon by Persia, (announced the night before it happened by Daniel).

By God, Daniel just read the writing on the wall.

But God had already announced more then a century earlier through Isaih, revealing the name of the foreign king who would liberate them.

99 posted on 06/11/2009 12:43:50 AM PDT by AndyTheBear
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To: PeaceBeWithYou

Excuse my ignorance, but what specifically is the danger if one of the polls is pointing at us?


100 posted on 06/11/2009 12:49:08 AM PDT by AndyTheBear
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