Smoking Supernovae: Astronomers Claim Solution To A Mystery Of The Universe

Science Daily ^ | 7/24/03

[bedolido]

great find. Thanks. Am saving for a Mead Telescope (donations welcome...lol)

[Barry Goldwater]

"The dust converts the stolen starlight it absorbs into light at longer wavelengths."

Interesting. I wonder if the dust is responsible for converting starlight into the much longer wavelength microwave background radiation.

[thegreatbeast]

Again?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/952079/posts

[LibWhacker]

Hey, I've been thinking of popping for a good telescope, too! Still trying to decide exactly what I need. I think I need an easily transportable one since the skies around here are pretty lousy. People over on sci.astro.amateur have a lot of good things to say about Starmaster Telescopes. Still mulling it over, though. :-)

[Prof Engineer]

ping

[Notforprophet]

The team of five astronomers from Cardiff University and the Royal Observatory Edinburgh used SCUBA to look for dust in the remains of a recent supernova called Cassiopeia A, which is some 11,000 light years from the Earth. This is the remnant of the explosion of a star some 30 times bigger than the Sun, which took place around 320 years ago.

If this supernova is 11,000 light years away, and it only exploded 320 years ago... then how can we even see the explosion or be aware of it yet?

NFP

[rudypoot]

They mean that you could first see it from earth 320 years ago.

[hopespringseternal]

Looks good. Glad you aren't headed down to Walmart.

[bedolido]

I've been looking at Mead. I'm a real amateur... and not smart enough locate the Messire (about 110 objects) or Hershal (about 2500 objects) lists (not sure of the spelling) without the help of a computer. Mead has a computer with both lists plus many, many more. You can download more.

You just punch in the number of the object you want in a hand-held palm-type device and the computer will take the scope to the object... of course it has to be in your viewing area.

Meade Telescopes

[FreeTheHostages]

for amateur viewing, meade is a good value

[LibWhacker]

Oh, no, not a chance! I had a rinky-dinky Monkey Ward scope when I was a kid. TOTALLY worthless.

[ex-snook]

"a discovery which suggests that supernovae were responsible for producing the first solid particles in the Universe. "

Duh? And the first supernovae came from?

[LibWhacker]

The first stars were made up of pure hydrogen atoms, which were in turn thrown out during the Big Bang. At least that's the theory.

[farmfriend]

If this supernova is 11,000 light years away, and it only exploded 320 years ago... then how can we even see the explosion or be aware of it yet?

These people who insist on clouding the issue with facts. Sheesh.

[Notforprophet]

I knew that. It's just an example of bad reporting.

NFP

[LibWhacker]

What we really need is a $200,000 Takahasi with an observatory to match. I read an article not too long ago about a 17-yr-old boy whose mother actually bought him one of these and the observatory and all the accessories:

[PUGACHEV]

After going to a local star party and having the opportunity to try lots of different scopes, I decided to get a large Dobsonian. I bought a 10" SkyQuest from Orion for ~$600, and I'm very happy with it. I bought a padded case for it too, but if I wanted something more portable, I think I'd get a set of giant binoculars.

[RadioAstronomer]

If this supernova is 11,000 light years away, and it only exploded 320 years ago... then how can we even see the explosion or be aware of it yet?

What is being said (and badly IMHO), is the light from the explosion reached the Earth 320 or so years ago. So from the Earth's standpoint, the supernova appears only 320 years old.

Does this help?

[longshadow]

for amateur viewing, meade is a good value

One word: "Stellafane."