Telescopes solve 2,000-year-old stellar mystery

Google ^ | 10/24/11 | MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer

[mdittmar]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronomers finally know why the first documented supernova was super-sized.

The exploded star was observed by the ancient Chinese in the year 185, and visible for eight months. It was later found to be a bigger-than-expected supernova remnant, 8,000 light years away. Each light year is about 6 trillion miles.

New observations in the infrared show the explosion took place in a cavity in space. The cavity allowed the stellar shrapnel to shoot faster and farther out into the universe.

The star — similar to our sun — died peacefully and turned into a dense white dwarf. It sucked up material from another star, and then exploded in a supernova.

[mdittmar]

Well,I'm glad that's settled.

[Red Badger]

It sucked up material from another star, and then exploded in a supernova.

Which means you probably shouldn't do that.....

[decimon]

Stellar by starlight ping.

[John.Galt2012]

yep. make a mental note...don’t do that.

[Talisker]

New observations in the infrared show the explosion took place in a cavity in space. The star — similar to our sun — died peacefully and turned into a dense white dwarf. It sucked up material from another star, and then exploded in a supernova.

Never turn your back on a dead star.

Bwahaha...

[Raycpa]

[KoRn]

It would be incredible to be able to see something like that happen today! Maybe Orion will eventually donate his right shoulder.

[Raycpa]

The exploded star was observed by the ancient Chinese in the year 185

What were the modern Chinese doing while the ancient Chinese were star gazing?

[jimpick]

“”died peacefully”” Yeh that is why we could see it 8000 light years away.

[=8 mrrabbit 8=]

Of course their interpretation of what they see is all hypothetical...

=8-)

Until we are actually there in situ....we are always drawing conclusions with crossed fingers...

=8-)

[Red Badger]

“”died peacefully”” as in Religion of Peace...............

[tet68]

There was a great SiFi short story many years ago
about how an entire civilization died in a supernova
to light the way to Bethlehem.

[SMARTY]

That’s sort of like the way “O” exploded in the Liberal universe here.... no real Liberal substance or talent anywhere in sight, so “O” looked WAAAAAY more significant than he in fact is!!

[JRios1968]

The star — similar to our sun — died peacefully and turned into a dense white dwarf. It sucked up material from another star, and then exploded in a supernova.

Bush's Fault

[BitWielder1]

Each light year is about 6 trillion miles.

Why do they have to explain what a light year is every time?
No other unit of measurement gets this special treatment.

What if they always wrote like this:
The accident happened about 5 miles outside Houston. A Mile is 5280 feet.
The temperature increased by 5.0 C (9.0 F) since yesterday. One degree Celsius is 1/100 of the temperature difference between water freezing and water boiling at sea level.
There were 11 people at the meeting. 11 is the number that comes between 10 and 12.

Gimme a break.

Sorry, it's a pet peeve of mine.

[SpaceBar]

Each light year is about 6 trillion miles...

They could make astronomy more comprehensible to non-scientists by reporting stellar distances in Federal Budget Units.

[Straight Vermonter]

Because people are scientifically illiterate? I would bet that half the people in the country think light year is a measure of time.

[Voter62vb]

I agree. It’s not like “6 trillion” helps anyone get their minds around it. Maybe they should say, “each light year is 1 ObamaSpend”?

[HomeAtLast]

Fave subj self-ping!

[Verginius Rufus]

The least they could do is to change the reference each time.

The first time, give the equivalent in miles, the next time in kilometers, the next time in versts, the next time in stades, the next time in British thermal units, the next time in kilograms, etc.