Two suns in 2012?

[ZYX]

Found this on KJRH:

Two suns visible from Earth by 2012?


Jan 24, 2011 1:36 p.m.

They say you shouldn't stare at the sun... and well, you really shouldn't stare if there were TWO suns.

That's right. Two suns.

According to news.com.au , the second biggest star Betelgeuse is losing mass, running out of fuel, and may soon go supernova.

When a star goes supernova, it means it would explode with the potential of luminosity a billion times greater than the sun.

If that happens, the "twin stars" may be visible to us on Earth... at least for a few weeks.

According to the article , it could happen as early as 2012 or may take much longer.

But it's not something doomsday sayers can get too excited about. The article says it will be harmless to the Earth and everything living on it.

We just might not have any nights during that time.

Check out the full article for more.

Can't imagine that.

[patric]

Found this on KJRH:Can't imagine that.

For us to see the light of that supernova, it would have had to have happened in the middle ages.
But it makes for good TV fluff.

[Gaspar]

For us to see the light of that supernova, it would have had to have happened in the middle ages.
But it makes for good TV fluff.

The estimate of the time to supernova could be off by a few million years, but that's pretty accurate when compared to CBO estimates!

[ZYX]

For us to see the light of that supernova, it would have had to have happened in the middle ages.
But it makes for good TV fluff.

Yeah, I'm not sure what to think of it. It sounds kinda out there.

[Red Arrow]

For us to see the light of that supernova, it would have had to have happened in the middle ages.

How do you know that it didn't?

[Gaspar]

How do you know that it didn't?

He didn't hear about it.   

[ZYX]

The article says it will soon go into supernova, so if what patric says is true, we won't even come close to seeing it.

[RecycleMichael]

I am going to invest in good sunglasses.

[swake]

I am going to invest in good sunglasses.

I read a more complete article about this. It is about to go, or was when the light that we see from it was leaving the star. We could see a supernova next year (that actually happened hundreds of years ago) or we might not see one for a million years. If we do see it will only be about as bright as the moon. At night it would be brighter and for a time we might not have much in the way of a night with the brightness of two moons shining on us.

[ZYX]

I read a more complete article about this. It is about to go, or was when the light that we see from it was leaving the star. We could see a supernova next year (that actually happened hundreds of years ago) or we might not see one for a million years. If we do see it will only be about as bright as the moon. At night it would be brighter and for a time we might not have much in the way of a night with the brightness of two moons shining on us.

No night would be really cool.

[Ibanez]

Not gonna happen. It would have had to go supernova in 1372 for us to see it in 2012. It didn't. KJRH is only about 5 days late picking up this incorrect story. The star is possibly about to go supernova with predictions saying it could happen in 2012. If it does it will be another 640 years before that light makes its way to Earth.

[custosnox]

Not gonna happen. It would have had to go supernova in 1372 for us to see it in 2012. It didn't. KJRH is only about 5 days late picking up this incorrect story. The star is possibly about to go supernova with predictions saying it could happen in 2012. If it does it will be another 640 years before that light makes its way to Earth.

How do you get that it did not go supernova already?  We do not know what has happened to a distant star until the light from it reaches us.  While saying that it will go Supernova in the next year or so and that we will see it happen would be grossly incorrect, it would not change the fact that if it is showing signs of a star approaching supernova that it actually happened a long time ago and we would just now be seeing the effects.  Truth be told, none of the scientist know when it will happen (or appear to happen if it has already), so who knows, it could show up next year to give us an extra light show.  I've always wanted to see a supernova.  Oh, and it would have had to gone super nova in 1585 ± 92 years to be visible in 2012. 

http://domeofthesky.com/clicks/betelgeuse.html

[patric]

No night would be really cool.

The novelty of that would wear of really fast. 
With no day/night cycles to maintain our circadian rhythm, or physical and mental health would deteriorate rapidly, and there would be planet-wide mass extinctions.

Except Ch 2 -- they would just report it a week late.

[ZYX]

The novelty of that would wear of really fast. 
With no day/night cycles to maintain our circadian rhythm, or physical and mental health would deteriorate rapidly, and there would be planet-wide mass extinctions.

Except Ch 2 -- they would just report it a week late.

Ha ha

[Red Arrow]

With no day/night cycles to maintain our circadian rhythm, or physical and mental health would deteriorate rapidly, and there would be planet-wide mass extinctions.

Except way far north and south where most of the people and the animals have learned to accomodate long days and nights.