Earth 'to be wiped out' by supernova explosion

[v14]

The Earth could soon be wiped out by the explosion of a star more than 3,000 light years away, according to American scientists.

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.

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.

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.

Robin Scagell, vice-president of the UK's Society for Popular Astronomy, said: "The star may certainly became a supernova soon – but soon could still be a long way off so don't have nightmares."








The Daily Telegraph

 

[fireblade]

The Earth could soon be wiped out by the explosion of a star more than 3,000 light years away, according to American scientists.

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.

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.

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.

Robin Scagell, vice-president of the UK's Society for Popular Astronomy, said: "The star may certainly became a supernova soon – but soon could still be a long way off so don't have nightmares."








The Daily Telegraph

sh*t this is bad, really dont know wat to say :err:



: spook :

 

[NoodlesJoe]

I Cant wait:banana:
The Sooner The Better And Before I Pay My council Taxroud:

 

[speedy1234]

oh well !!!! not to worry :banana:

 

[digidude]

at least if we do run out of gas, itll still be nice and warm, so much for global warming going to kill us all eh?

im off to light some carbon and roast an old fridge on it

 

[MikeS]

pmsl digidude

u can imagine how many noobs would be panicking about their direct debit payments for their energy bills after hearing this

 

[pipsqueaker]

This is intriguing.
If this star is 3000 light years away then Hubble sees what happened 3000 years ago.
So in theory it may already have exploded.
Therefore, we could face the effects tomorrow or in thousands of years.
I wish these scientists would just SHUT UP.

 

[MFCGMFC]

if its gonna blow at least can it hold off till i got my sat setup installed and working so i can see if iknow wot to do?

bastard thing

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

 

[Brooksy]

This is intriguing.
If this star is 3000 light years away then Hubble sees what happened 3000 years ago.
So in theory it may already have exploded.
Therefore, we could face the effects tomorrow or in thousands of years.
I wish these scientists would just SHUT UP.

yep thats about right because nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.

 

[digidude]

yep thats about right because nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.

my van can, well, half of my van can

it goes that fast, that all the light from the passenger side headlight gets left behind, and only the drivers side one lights up the road

which is wierd

cos i know my cars a lot faster than the van, but no matter how fast i drive the car, both beams of light manage to keep up

i guess its one of those quantam thingys

 

[Messa]

yep thats about right because nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.

Actually it is thought that gravity might be faster !

Don't you read Hawking for God's sake !

This is intriguing.
If this star is 3000 light years away then Hubble sees what happened 3000 years ago.
So in theory it may already have exploded.
Therefore, we could face the effects tomorrow or in thousands of years.
I wish these scientists would just SHUT UP.

Oh bugger thats what I thought when I read it 'is set to explode' is bollocks because it already has !

 

[Brooksy]

my van can, well, half of my van can

it goes that fast, that all the light from the passenger side headlight gets left behind, and only the drivers side one lights up the road

which is wierd

cos i know my cars a lot faster than the van, but no matter how fast i drive the car, both beams of light manage to keep up

i guess its one of those quantam thingys

Digi may be it could be a bulb out m8 lol just a thought

 

[Brooksy]

Actually it is thought that gravity might be faster !

Don't you read Hawking for God's sake !

Could be and no lol

 

[Erbs]

I Cant wait:banana:
The Sooner The Better And Before I Pay My council Taxroud:

i reckon the old gov will be wanting supernova tax soon, they conned us on global warming lol why not go the whole hog .

 

[digidude]

Actually it is thought that gravity might be faster !

i just tested this, and light is faster

i teid a small dog to the floor, then armed with a laser pen and half a brick, i went up into the bedroom window, i pressed the button on the laser at the same time as i let go of the half brick, and the green dot was definatley on the dogs back before the brick hit him

i used a white dog so i could see the laser dot easier

 

[v14]

Actually it is thought that gravity might be faster !

Don't you read Hawking for God's sake !

Here's a test for you to carry out m8.

Get yourself on a high bridge with an assisitant.

Get your assistant to hold a strong battery operated torch pointing downwards towards the ground.

You will now need to jump from the bridge at the exact moment your assistant switches on the torch.

Your assistant will also be required (with the aid of a stopwatch) to time what hits the ground first, ie you or the light from the torch.

Ask your assistant to post his findings


Once he's finished throwing sawdust over you that is



edit: digidude beat me

 

[Brooksy]

i just tested this, and light is faster

i teid a small dog to the floor, then armed with a laser pen and half a brick, i went up into the bedroom window, i pressed the button on the laser at the same time as i let go of the half brick, and the green dot was definatley on the dogs back before the brick hit him

i used a white dog so i could see the laser dot easier

I hope you did not shine the light in the dogs eyes m8 you might have blinded him

 

[digidude]

I hope you did not shine the light in the dogs eyes m8 you might have blinded him

now that would just be cruel, but, luckily i had already thought of that, and glued his eyes shut to protect them from not only the blinding light, but also in case the brick missed his back, and a bit chipped off and went in his eye

 

[Brooksy]

now that would just be cruel, but, luckily i had already thought of that, and glued his eyes shut to protect them from not only the blinding light, but also in case the brick missed his back, and a bit chipped off and went in his eye

pmsl would have been easier to selotape some sunglasses on his yed

 

[pipsqueaker]

If the torch had one those useless energy saving bulbs in it.
The brick would have hit the dog, the dog would have gone to the vets for repair and then come back just in time to get an eyeful!