Supernova visible tonight

Discussion in 'Current Events' started by Abu Sina, Sep 8, 2011.

  1. Abu Sina

    Abu Sina New Member

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    For anyone interested in astronomy there is a supernova visible in the sky.
    It's in the pinwheel galaxy.

    If you look to the plough constellation and on the second star (Mizar) in it's handle you look a bit north and west and you will be able to see it.

    If you locate Orion constellation the easiest to find in the sky look at star Rigel in the bottom right and across to it's left is the star Saiph. Move Westwards along the sky towards the Ursa Major and in that constellation you will see the plough.


    http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/sep/08/supernova-explosion-visible-from-uk


    [​IMG]
     
  2. Really People?

    Really People? New Member

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    Will it be visible from the Gulf Coast?
     
  3. waltky

    waltky Well-Known Member

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    Uncle Ferd wearin' his tin-foil hat in case it givin' off any supernova waves...
    :fart:
    Supernova 'of a generation': how you can see it with binoculars
    September 7, 2011 - A supernova in the nearby Pinwheel Galaxy is the closest supernova in 25 years. Situated near the Big Dipper, the SN 2011fe supernova can be seen with binoculars this week.
     
  4. theunbubba

    theunbubba Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The last two stars on the handle of the big dipper (that's what westerners call it) make an equilatteral triangle with it. Easy to find.
     
  5. theunbubba

    theunbubba Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Sure will! Everywhere in the northern hemisphere should be able to see it. I don't know if the dipper is too high above the equator to be seen by our friends in the southern hemisphere.


    You'll need a pair of binoculars though.
     
  6. My Fing ID

    My Fing ID Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Wanted to get a look but clouds :( Well I'm sure another star blew up a few million years back, maybe I'll catch that one!
     
  7. Radio Refugee

    Radio Refugee New Member

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    Not to be a wet blanket here but...a tenth magnitude supernova visible in binocs is not worth a look to the casual astronomer much less the public. Even if I were in the southern hemisphere, I doubt I'd have spent the time to chase down SN1987A.

    Hopefully we'll all live long enough to see the next Crab Nebula nova, SN 1054. Maybe Betelguese blows.
     
  8. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

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    You know sometimes the way these posts "sound" in my head is if with the attitude of the member's avatar

    Just sayin'

    PS if you were in the Southern Hemisphere you would have a GREAT time "chasing it down" since it is not visible from the southern hemisphere
     
  9. Radio Refugee

    Radio Refugee New Member

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    Do you ever tire of being LOUD and WRONG?

    SN1987A Dec = -69.
     
  10. waltky

    waltky Well-Known Member

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    Now we know where the radioactive iron came from...
    :cool:
    Nearby Supernovae Showered Earth and Moon With Radioactive Iron
    April 15th, 2016 - Two new studies suggest radioactive bits of a nearby star or stars that exploded into a supernova or supernovae showered the Earth and Moon with radioactive iron a couple of million years ago. Both studies found the stellar evidence in concentrations of an isotope of iron called 60Fe.
     
  11. cerberus

    cerberus Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    How is it possible (within a short time frame, as this obviously is) to predict that a star, which has probably been around for thousands of years, is going to explode?
     

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