Supernova Panic

Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse.

astronomy.com...

Depending on the source, the star sits anywhere from 340-650 light years away and reports have the estimated brightness from the supernova ranging from half moon to full moon levels of luminosity.

It will be seen worldwide and for months before it fades away forever.

This event could occur at anytime so I find it useful to compartmentalize and spread this information in order to reduce the panic such a celestial event would bring.

Ideally, the people of Earth will all look up at this heavenly body and feel a sense of togetherness from this cosmic experience we'd all share.

But I foresee religion and cults going into propaganda hyperdrive. Especially if the star produces a cross. If such a thing occurs during big world events, expect to be inundated with revelations and ancient star prophecies.

a reply to: Psilocyborg

How much do you want to wager there's a Betelgeuse cult out there similar to the Heavens Gate cult.

We will hear about some commune of 30-40 people, all found dead because some lunatic told them they had to catch the supernova wave to cross dimensions to live with the Betelgeusians. (yeah, they have no idea its a star)

awesome.

One might think that the substantial amounts of radiation it would produce, might be harmful to us in some way?

a reply to: Macenroe82

Another thing is, you wouldn't have to make up anything new to hype people up.

Hijack the Hopi Indians' star prophecy or something similar and you got the new age hippies in the palm of your hand.

a reply to: LtFluffyCakes96

It's too far away. We will just get one magnificent light show.

a reply to: LtFluffyCakes96

There's articles out there are stating it's too far to affect the Earth but that's why in the original post I included that there are varying distances our science places this star.

Who knows?

Maybe we're in the goldilocks zone and the radioactive affects could bring in the age of aquarius and open our third eye.

youtu.be...

hmm the crab nebula explosion in 1059 was good visible from earth… and 13 times further away than betelgeuse 9000 LY

a reply to: Psilocyborg

There was a recent article that said the dimming was down to the star belching out a cloud of gas, apparently when they tested it's spectrum there is no evidence of it significantly dimming only the light from it being occluded by that cloud of dust and gas that is now dissipating.

So it is unlikely to go anytime soon, also while it will be the first seen by the public in the modern world it is far from the first to have occured in human history and indeed many such event's were recorded by the ancient's such as the Chinese whom often saw them as omen's both good and ill just as they did comet's since in fact they did not understand the universe in the way we do today - not that we really understand it but we have certainly got a better grasp than they had.

You know though there have been some pretty weird event's and much closer to home.
Now there were many claim's as to what this is, from people seeing a cigar shaped golden glowing object trailing smoke that apparently changed course as if to avoid major population centers perhaps trying to crash land to a meteor air burst or even a comet - but there was no matching comet spotted by astronomers so I would dismiss the comet theory.
www.theguardian.com...
The sky was bright for day's afterwards even at night, people could read the paper at midnight and a round of golf was played at st andrews at half past two in the morning, this was unusual to say the least.

Today, astronomers know that Betelgeuse varies in brightness because it’s a dying, red supergiant star

It will only go supernova way after it shrinks and becomes a white dwarf.
And there is only a very slim chance of that.
It has to contain a large percentage of heavy metals.
And , I don't care if it does.
I have no plans of being here million(s) of years from now.

a reply to: Psilocyborg

Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse.

All is good, they knew about this dust cloud. Doom no more🙄
www.sciencealert.com...

Since the fine Simpleton folks never bother to click the link and read...(I'm as guilty too) here...

"We see this all the time in red supergiants, and it's a normal part of their life cycle," said astronomer Emily Levesque of the University of Washington.

"Red supergiants will occasionally shed material from their surfaces, which will condense around the star as dust. As it cools and dissipates, the dust grains will absorb some of the light heading toward us and block our view."

And..

According to the abundance they found, Betelgeuse's temperature is around 3,325 degrees Celsius (6,017 Fahrenheit). That's consistent both with a measurement taken by the team in 2004; and with a measurement of 3,317 degrees Celsius taken in 2011.

It's also significantly warmer than would be expected for convection processes.

"A comparison with our 2004 spectrum showed immediately that the temperature hadn't changed significantly," explained astronomer Phillip Massey of Lowell Observatory.

"We knew the answer had to be dust."

Edit: LABTECH767 beat me way to it...
What LT767 said

originally posted by: dantanna
awesome.

awesome, awesome, awesome!

a reply to: Psilocyborg

You're late to the party on this one.
That panic lasted like half a day about a month or so ago.

But it's more fun than the Wu tang flu panic, I've been bored with the coronovirus for a while now.

a reply to: Psilocyborg

I think the question on everyone's mind is, how will this affect my toilet paper stash?

a reply to: DBCowboy

That is why we prepare now!

Dump the federal emergency fund into purchasing more bidets!

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: Psilocyborg

I think the question on everyone's mind is, how will this affect my toilet paper stash?

God I love when you show up..😆😆😆
Here😚

a reply to: Bigburgh

a reply to: Psilocyborg

Well, I for one, hope everyone buys enough toilet paper for the event!

a reply to: DBCowboy

bah ya beat me to the obvious!

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: LtFluffyCakes96

It's too far away. We will just get one magnificent light show.

It could also send one hell of a meteor shower our way.