Awesome. In an extremely close galaxy, one we’ve studied quite a bit previously, we’ve apparently just spotted a supernova and have started grabbing as much scientific data as we can manage. Of course, this is millions of light years away (estimated 38 million in fact), so unless you subscribe to the idea that everything “happens” from a geocentric fixed time frame, this supernova is already long since blown out into a nebula of some sort.
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Otrame
March 20, 2012 at 1:48 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Very cool. Of course it might have taken a rather large amount of life with it. Which is one of the many reasons why I laugh when someone starts the “fine-tuned” argument.
Otrame
March 20, 2012 at 1:50 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Let’s see, ca. 35 million years ago. By now a new star and planets may have already gotten started. That’s a cool idea too.
Tyrant of Skepsis
March 20, 2012 at 7:11 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Very cool, and now one in our galaxy plz…
Btw “billions of light years” sounds very wrong if it’s a Messier object…
Gregory in Seattle
March 20, 2012 at 10:53 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
It’s believed to be a Type II supernova: basically, a very large star that ran out of one fuel, started to collapse, and the increasing pressure lets the star reignited with a new fuel. Very cool.
Jason Thibeault
March 20, 2012 at 12:33 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Otrame’s right – I meant millions. It’s estimated 38 million LYA.
Jason Thibeault
March 20, 2012 at 3:26 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Erm. I meant Tyrant of Skepsis. Jeez. I can’t even get a correction right today. Need more coffee, and additional pylons.