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Could Eta Carinae explode and wipe us out ?


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A massive and volatile star located 7,500 light years away is on the verge of going supernova.

Social media has been abuzz lately with the news that a huge star called Eta Carinae might soon explode, causing a devastating burst of gamma rays capable of eradicating all life on our planet.

Read More: http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/275994/could-eta-carinae-explode-and-wipe-us-out

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Glad to know that it's too far away to do any real damage to Earth.

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Well since it`s 7500 light years away and nothing travels faster than light im not to worried. Who would be, we will be extinct by then anyway.

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The article says that one of the reasons we are in no danger if the star does go supernova is that it is not pointed in our direction. Can someone please explain how a star can be pointed in any particular direction? Just curious.

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Well since it`s 7500 light years away and nothing travels faster than light im not to worried. Who would be, we will be extinct by then anyway.

If it is 7500 light years away it is quite possible that it has already exploded 7499 years ago and that next year we will actually see what has already happened in the distant past. Then again it might not be visible for decades, who can say.

The article says that one of the reasons we are in no danger if the star does go supernova is that it is not pointed in our direction. Can someone please explain how a star can be pointed in any particular direction? Just curious.

Yeah, that one had me too. If you look at something like the Crab Nebula, that Supernova basically exploded in all directions. Some black holes at galactic centers seem to expel huge quantities of energy perpendicular to their axis of spin as they consume matter. Those jets of matter are something you really don't want pointed at your planet.

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The first thing I thought when I read the headline was, "No way, it is too far away." The amount of radiation decreases as the distance from the nova increases.

As to being "pointed" at us, I'm not a astrophysicist, but I believe that might be referring to the axis of spin of the star. So, the star would be "pointed" out its "top".

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The article says that one of the reasons we are in no danger if the star does go supernova is that it is not pointed in our direction. Can someone please explain how a star can be pointed in any particular direction? Just curious.

It can be pointed because of its poles, the star will eject from those two points.

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If it is 7500 light years away it is quite possible that it has already exploded 7499 years ago and that next year we will actually see what has already happened in the distant past. Then again it might not be visible for decades, who can say.

LOl good point, duck and cover

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When the star will explode depends on what stage it is in...

If scientists are saying that it is exhibiting imminent signs (Oxygen burning), then it is going to be only months, or days. But if it is in the early stages (Carbon burning), then it could be thousands of years. Even if it is thousands of years, that would mean it has already exploded, since it is 7500 light years away.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_II_supernova#Formation

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Huh. I guess I didn't know that a star going into a terminal super-nova phase primarily ejects the most harmful material/rays from it's poles.

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In answer to the question, hopefully so.

Are you saying that you hope mankind is wiped out ? :blink:

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It can be pointed because of its poles, the star will eject from those two points.

Okay, that explains it. Thanks.

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If asteroids keep missing us, then I'm sure Eta Carinae will pose no threat to us either.

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We will need no help in destroying ourselves..Look at all of the wars we have had in this world and yet we are still here..It is just a matter of time before we destroy all that is good and evil....

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If the explosion is "imminent" then we are in for a light show right? That would be something to look forward to seeing.

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If the explosion is "imminent" then we are in for a light show right? That would be something to look forward to seeing.

Should we book front row seats!!!

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I guess if it already did and we don't know it yet we will find out....within the next 7,500 years.

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iT' S alright we are doing so well at destroying ourselves ...

Edited by qxcontinuum
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chill ever hear about the earths magnetic feald it deflects space junk and radiation on a regular basis worst case scenario it short sorcits the planet and causes a global blackout

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Each of the various ways the Earth could be destroyed or at least sterilized has a small but non-zero probability. Put them all together and it is remarkable life on Earth has had such a long survival history and indicates such lucky planets may rare.

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The first thing I thought when I read the headline was, "No way, it is too far away." The amount of radiation decreases as the distance from the nova increases.

As to being "pointed" at us, I'm not a astrophysicist, but I believe that might be referring to the axis of spin of the star. So, the star would be "pointed" out its "top".

Correct. It is likely that a supernova would likely eject a gamma ray burst from both polar regions of its axis, but as currently the rotational axis of Eta Carinae is not pointing at us, the burst probably would miss us. Additionally though, as Eta Carinae is a binary system, this may effect the orientation of the burst.

An article published several years ago determined that if the burst did hit Earth, it would be equivalent of one kiloton of TNT per square kilometer over the entire hemisphere facing the star, with ionizing radiation ten times the lethal whole body dose to Earth's surface.

Armon Dar & A. De Rujula (2002). "The threat to life from Eta Carinae and gamma ray bursts". Astrophysics and Gamma ray Physics in Space 24. pp. 513-523.

Edited by Insanity
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The sky is also falling and going to kill everything soon. That's why I eat shrimp and red meat and drink alcohol and smoke stuff.

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