New Year - New Danger

[AlfredJPruffock]

The star, called T Pyxidis, is set to self-destruct in an explosion called a supernova with the force of 20 billion billion billion megatons of TNT.


It will become as bright as all the other stars in the galaxy put together, they said. The Hubble space telescope has photographed the star preparing for its big bang with a series of smaller blasts or "burps", called novas.



Although the star is thought to be around 3,260 light-years away – a fairly short distance in galactic terms – the blast from the thermonuclear explosion could strip away the Earth's ozone layer, the scientists said.


Astronomers spot strongest-ever explosion


Dying stars captured with space imaging breakthroughAstronomers from Villanova University, Philadelphia, in the US, said the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite has shown them that T Pyxidis is really two stars, one called a white dwarf that is sucking in gas and steadily growing. When it reaches a critical mass it will blow itself to pieces.

It will become as bright as all the other stars in the galaxy put together, they said. The Hubble space telescope has photographed the star preparing for its big bang with a series of smaller blasts or "burps", called novas.

These explosions came regularly about every 20 years from 1890 – but stopped after 1967.

So the next blast is nearly 20 years overdue, said scientists Edward M Sion, Patrick Godon and Timothy McClain at the American Astronomical Society in Washington.

[Diver]

So!

A good time to invest in Solar panels then?

[shaunbhoy]

The star, called T Pyxidis, is set to self-destruct in an explosion called a supernova with the force of 20 billion billion billion megatons of TNT.


It will become as bright as all the other stars in the galaxy put together, they said. The Hubble space telescope has photographed the star preparing for its big bang with a series of smaller blasts or "burps", called novas.



Although the star is thought to be around 3,260 light-years away – a fairly short distance in galactic terms – the blast from the thermonuclear explosion could strip away the Earth's ozone layer, the scientists said.


Astronomers spot strongest-ever explosion


Dying stars captured with space imaging breakthroughAstronomers from Villanova University, Philadelphia, in the US, said the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite has shown them that T Pyxidis is really two stars, one called a white dwarf that is sucking in gas and steadily growing. When it reaches a critical mass it will blow itself to pieces.

It will become as bright as all the other stars in the galaxy put together, they said. The Hubble space telescope has photographed the star preparing for its big bang with a series of smaller blasts or "burps", called novas.

These explosions came regularly about every 20 years from 1890 – but stopped after 1967.

So the next blast is nearly 20 years overdue, said scientists Edward M Sion, Patrick Godon and Timothy McClain at the American Astronomical Society in Washington.

Surely more taxes will prevent this? We'll get sasguru working on the figures right away!!

[Board Game Geek]

the blast from the thermonuclear explosion could strip away the Earth's ozone layer, the scientists said

So basically all the gazillions spent on reducing CO2 to save the ozone layer, will have been money wasted IF this occurs ?

Oh the irony. How I shall laugh.

At least it would mean we could have things like proper lightbulbs back.

However in all seriousness, 3260 ly is not a concern

A near-Earth supernova is an explosion resulting from the death of a star that occurs close enough to the Earth (roughly fewer than 100 light-years away) to have noticeable effects on its biosphere.

Gamma rays from a supernova induce a chemical reaction in the upper atmosphere, converting molecular nitrogen into nitrogen oxides, depleting the ozone layer enough to expose the surface to harmful solar and cosmic radiation. This has been proposed as the cause of the end Ordovician extinction, which resulted in the death of nearly 60% of the oceanic life on Earth.[93]

In 1996, it was theorized that traces of past supernovae might be detectable on Earth in the form of metal isotope signatures in rock strata. Subsequently, iron-60 enrichment has been reported in deep-sea rock of the Pacific Ocean.[94][95][96]

Type Ia supernovae are thought to be potentially the most dangerous if they occur close enough to the Earth. Because Type Ia supernovae arise from dim, common white dwarf stars, it is likely that a supernova that could affect the Earth will occur unpredictably and take place in a star system that is not well studied.

One theory suggests that a Type Ia supernova would have to be closer than a thousand parsecs (3300 light-years) to affect the Earth.[97] The closest known candidate is IK Pegasi (see below).[98] Recent estimates predict that a Type II supernova would have to be closer than eight parsecs (26 light-years) to destroy half of the Earth's ozone layer

[HairyArsedBloke]

WR 104 is the one to watch. Don't believe the stories of the 'all clear'.

[AlfredJPruffock]

Who is afraid of the Big BadWolf ZG ?

Listen - The Snow is falling
The Past is calling
The Stars are falling

[cojak]

Happy New Year AJP!

[AlfredJPruffock]

... and a Happy 2010 to your good self Kojac !

[Diver]

... and a Happy 2010 to your good self Kojac !

You seem to have a thing for Karen Gillan judging by your Avatar.

Here's some Bikini Shots SFW

[kaiser78]

The star, called T Pyxidis, is set to self-destruct in an explosion called a supernova with the force of 20 billion billion billion megatons of TNT.....

Next you will be telling us that the Earth is round...