Posted on 05/08/2007 5:22:54 PM PDT by saganite
In a cascade of superlatives that belies the traditional cerebral reserve of their profession, astronomers reported Monday that they had seen the brightest and most powerful stellar explosion ever recorded.
The cataclysm - a monster more than a hundred times as energetic as the typical supernova in which normal massive stars end their lives - may be an example, they said, of a completely new type of explosion.
Such a blast, proposed but never seen, would explain how the earliest and most massive stars in the universe ended their lives and strewed new elements across space to fertilize future stars and planets.
"It is quite possibly the most massive star that has ever been seen to explode," said Nathan Smith of the University of California, Berkeley, who estimated the star as "freakishly massive," about 150 times the mass of the sun.
Smith led a team of astronomers from Berkeley and the University of Texas who have submitted a paper about the supernova to The Astrophysical Journal and discussed the results at a news conference from the NASA headquarters in Washington.
"We're really excited about this," he said. "If it really is what we think it is, it forces us to rethink how massive stars die."
snip
The star bears an eerie resemblance to Eta Carinae, a star in our own galaxy that has been burbling and bubbling in the last few centuries as if getting ready for its own outburst. The observations suggest that the troubled and enigmatic Eta Carinae, thought to weigh in at about 120 solar masses, could blow up sooner than theorists have thought. Mario Livio, a theorist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, in Baltimore, who was not involved in the research, said Eta Carinae's death could be "the most spectacular star show in history."
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Guess I should rename this thread “Where in the Universe is Radio Astronomer”.
Not to worry. Algore’s on it.
Snow Bunny tried to pass herself off as a Vietnam-era USO showgirl with fake photographs.
Green Eyed Classy Blonde (GECB) tried to pass herself off as a woman with similar evidence.
--Except she was a he.
"And now you know the full story.
This is Paul Harvey ... Good Day!"
THis was his last post. He had a run in with someone called T’wit, whom I’m not familiar with, who seemed to be a cheerleader for bannings on that thread.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1821435/posts?page=9707#9707
Thanks. That was the night all he!! broke loose.
Reading over the posts, he did criticize Jim and the Mods, and was warned to cool it.
He even acknowledged the possibility that he would get banned.
I don’t necessarily agree that it was ban worthy, but it’s not my call.
I read back over his last few posts.
He and I were having a civil conversation.
I must admit, I’m puzzled.
Perhaps there was something said privately that we are not aware of?
No, there wasn't. I'd encourage you to think about the nature of his banning as well - passwording. Of all the people to have that done to them....Rades? "Disgraceful" comes to mind.
Does anyone have a “map” that would show where were are in the Milky Way Galaxy vs where Eta Carinae is? If I read the link post 4 correctly it’s about 10,000 light years away, but in which direction?
Up
You're joking right? Search for the terms FR embrace socialism and see the terror purge in all its 18000+ post glory.
Dozens of people opused and were banned from that purge.
He was passworded. Someone has changed his password so that he cannot access his own account. I'd call that a banning.
The night? I think you mean the whole week. From what I can guess, 40 ro 50 bannings, lots of ill feelings and several opusings from very long time FR contributors. Seems like anyone who disargeed with certain posters was labeled a troll and banned, including people from 1998 who have been very active here and who have never caused any problems before. Suddenly they were "liberal trolls" who did not precisely fit FR's mission statement.
Eta Carinae is apparently 8-10 kly away (ie 8,000 - 10,000 years for light to travel hear). It could have blown up 5,000 years ago and we would know about it for another 3-5,000 years. It boggles the mind sometimes.
That’s the best picture I’ve seen of it.
Thanks!
I know many feelings were hurt.
I wish it hadn’t happened, but it did.
I’m moving on.
PS - Donate to Duncan Hunter! http://www.gohunter08.com/
Thanks. I’ve signed up!
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