« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!  (Read 2295 times)

jimdigris

  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 8762
Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« on: 26 December 2019, 16:51:17 »
There have been several articles today that said that Betelgeuse has undergone a dramatic level of dimming since October, which is symptomatic of the beginning of the end.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-star-betelgeuse-dimming-sign-it-could-explode-180973861/
They said that it is still unlikely that a supernova will happen in our lifetime, although for all we know, it already happened.  If it happened tomorrow and you were one of the Battletech writers, how would you handle this issue?
Logged

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37361
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #1 on: 26 December 2019, 16:52:50 »
A BT writer?  Ignore it just like cell phones...  ^-^
Logged

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37361
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #2 on: 26 December 2019, 16:57:14 »
And yikes!  Something on that page slowed my computer to a crawl... I had to end the process...  xp
Logged

jimdigris

  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 8762
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #3 on: 26 December 2019, 19:38:04 »
Sorry about that. It worked fine for me.
Logged

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37361
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #4 on: 26 December 2019, 19:40:33 »
My computer's old, despite being able to run Win 10... hopefully nobody else feels the pain.  The first couple of paragraphs are pretty interesting, if nothing else...
Logged

HobbesHurlbut

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 3092
  • Live Free or Die Hard
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #5 on: 27 December 2019, 11:41:47 »
https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/supernove-distance
"Bottom line: Scientific literature cites 50 to 100 light-years as the closest safe distance between Earth and a supernova."

well it's good that  Betelgeuse is 600 light years away.
Logged
Clan Blood Spirit - So Bad Ass as to require Orbital Bombardments to wipe us out....it is the only way to be sure!

Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #6 on: 27 December 2019, 15:58:05 »
Does anyone in here know a novel Antares Dawn? It has Antares going supernova which fraks up jump point locations. Written by NASA engineer, and it shows.
Logged
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

worktroll

  • Ombudsman
  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 25648
  • 504th "Gateway" Division
    • There are Monsters in my Sky!
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #7 on: 27 December 2019, 16:49:02 »
I confess I was outside on Xmas evening, and Orion was overhead, and I thought Betelgeuse looked a little dimmer than I remembered ...

But it's variable anyway. Odds are it's 10,000 - 100,000 years away from the lightshow. Oh, but what I'd give to be outside looking up when it does happen ...
Logged
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

Nightlord01

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1559
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #8 on: 27 December 2019, 23:07:39 »
Quote from: worktroll on 27 December 2019, 16:49:02
I confess I was outside on Xmas evening, and Orion was overhead, and I thought Betelgeuse looked a little dimmer than I remembered ...

But it's variable anyway. Odds are it's 10,000 - 100,000 years away from the lightshow. Oh, but what I'd give to be outside looking up when it does happen ...

I'd dearly love to see a supernova, it would be the experience of a life time. Sad thing is, we wouldn't even know until it happened, but imagine how much seeing the crescendo will help astronomers determining when other stars will go supernova.
Logged

worktroll

  • Ombudsman
  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 25648
  • 504th "Gateway" Division
    • There are Monsters in my Sky!
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #9 on: 28 December 2019, 03:24:50 »
We're unlikely to see the flash. But what I've read suggests the nebula will glow as bright as the full moon for a period of 3 weeks or more, fully visible in daylight. We'll all see that.
Logged
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

worktroll

  • Ombudsman
  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 25648
  • 504th "Gateway" Division
    • There are Monsters in my Sky!
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #10 on: 28 December 2019, 03:27:52 »
I have an old acquaintance who worked at Kamiokande II in the late 80s. I was on an email chain then about an anomalously large neutrino pulse, in Feb 1987. Yes, SN 1987a.

Long since lost touch. So if anyone knows anyone at a neutrino detector, keep them in touch!
Logged
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

Von Jankmon

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1090
  • Everyone is entitled to my opinions
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #11 on: 09 January 2020, 04:52:58 »
Yep, its a ticking bomb ready to go any century now.
Logged
It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion. By the juice of the brew my thoughts aquire speed, my mind becomes strained, the strain becomes a warning. It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion.

marauder648

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 8157
    • Project Zhukov Fan AU TRO's and PDFs
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #12 on: 09 January 2020, 06:18:56 »
Scott Manley did a good breakdown on Betelgeuse's dimming - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1vZ6JT1s8Q

It sure would be spectacular, and you could use something like a star going supernova being the event that caused the Blackout instead of...well we still don't know but lets blame ComStar.
Perhaps the 'shockwaves' of the star going boom affect hyperspace and whilst its okay for JumpShips the 'ripples' of the blast futz up interstellar communications something feirce.
Logged
Ghost Bears: Cute and cuddly. Until you remember its a BLOODY BEAR!

Project Zhukov Fan AU TRO's and PDFs - https://thezhukovau.wordpress.com/

jimdigris

  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 8762
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #13 on: 09 January 2020, 16:44:36 »
Interesting thought. :thumbsup:
Logged

ANS Kamas P81

  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 13235
  • Reimu sees what you have done.
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #14 on: 09 January 2020, 17:35:35 »
Looking at the Battletech map, I wonder just how bad the damage would be to those nearby stars.  I mean, if the thing is bright enough to shine in the daytime on earth 600ly away, how bad would it be if it popped next door at 6ly or less?  (Yes, 10,000 times, the square law is easy though)
Logged
Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen,
Tod und Verzweiflung flammet um mich her!
Fühlt nicht durch dich Jadefalke Todesschmerzen,
So bist du meine Tochter nimmermehr!

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37361
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #15 on: 09 January 2020, 17:37:26 »
It would definitely be bad for star systems that close, yes...
Logged

Luciora

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5814
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #16 on: 09 January 2020, 18:45:05 »
I wonder how many systems would be affected in the Battletech universe, if the galaxy map was updated and had future events added.  Would anyone want to colonize a system within Nova or supernova range if they figured an explosion was imminent?  We only see the stars as they are from several millennia ago, and I'm sure alot of them are quite different now if we actually were able to see them in person or actual real time
Logged

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37361
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #17 on: 09 January 2020, 18:51:51 »
Betelgeuse is only 600 light years away so the data isn't that old.  That said, Von Jankmon has it exactly right... any CENTURY now means plenty of people would be willing to roll those dice.
Logged

ANS Kamas P81

  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 13235
  • Reimu sees what you have done.
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #18 on: 09 January 2020, 21:07:45 »
Well, anyone jumping into the system would see it is as it is 'now' and that could make a fantastic misjump story.  A scheduled once-weekly trip to a system to check up on a down HPG, only to find the arriving JumpShip floating in a supremely hot and rapidly growing ionized nebula.
Logged
Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen,
Tod und Verzweiflung flammet um mich her!
Fühlt nicht durch dich Jadefalke Todesschmerzen,
So bist du meine Tochter nimmermehr!

Von Jankmon

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1090
  • Everyone is entitled to my opinions
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #19 on: 11 January 2020, 17:42:39 »
Quote from: Daryk on 09 January 2020, 18:51:51
Betelgeuse is only 600 light years away so the data isn't that old.  That said, Von Jankmon has it exactly right... any CENTURY now means plenty of people would be willing to roll those dice.

Any century now is a way of placing imminence and stellar longevity in the same perspective.  The thing is Betelgeuse is worth watching regularly from this time onwards, according to our current theories of stellar mechanics when the star is truly dying it will start burning denser and denser fuel.    Now some of these stages when it approaches iron, which it cannot fuse, are decades, months or even finally only minutes long, if we are consistent in our observations and if it does switch fuel we should be able to observe the death of the star and even predict the timing of the supernova with some degree of accuracy.  I dont think we have seen a star burn dense fuel before, and it should be real interesting to observe the changes as they happen, and we dont really know what to look for either.
But when Betelgeuse runs out of hydrogen and kicks off the show, who knows.  We might get to see part of the procedure, most likely will not.  Even so the helium burning stage, if it started right now (by observer time) will last most of the rest of the century, if our predictions are true.
« Last Edit: 11 January 2020, 17:44:50 by Von Jankmon »
Logged
It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion. By the juice of the brew my thoughts aquire speed, my mind becomes strained, the strain becomes a warning. It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion.

ANS Kamas P81

  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 13235
  • Reimu sees what you have done.
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #20 on: 11 January 2020, 22:19:16 »
imagine being able to watch a core collapse supernova from up close. 
Logged
Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen,
Tod und Verzweiflung flammet um mich her!
Fühlt nicht durch dich Jadefalke Todesschmerzen,
So bist du meine Tochter nimmermehr!

Von Jankmon

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1090
  • Everyone is entitled to my opinions
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #21 on: 12 January 2020, 16:41:16 »
We are up close, close enough to see the show, or at least get useful scientific data, but far enough away for it not to be a problem.
Logged
It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion. By the juice of the brew my thoughts aquire speed, my mind becomes strained, the strain becomes a warning. It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion.

Von Jankmon

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1090
  • Everyone is entitled to my opinions
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #22 on: 17 February 2020, 10:08:53 »
Logged
It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion. By the juice of the brew my thoughts aquire speed, my mind becomes strained, the strain becomes a warning. It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion.

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37361
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #23 on: 17 February 2020, 10:26:46 »
So... a mass ejection... that makes sense.  Thanks for the link!  :thumbsup:
Logged

ANS Kamas P81

  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 13235
  • Reimu sees what you have done.
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #24 on: 17 February 2020, 18:02:56 »
That'd be one hell of a CME to get that difference in brightening, I imagine.
Logged
Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen,
Tod und Verzweiflung flammet um mich her!
Fühlt nicht durch dich Jadefalke Todesschmerzen,
So bist du meine Tochter nimmermehr!

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37361
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #25 on: 17 February 2020, 18:12:19 »
I'm not sure it's just from the corona, hence my saying simply "mass ejection"...
Logged

ANS Kamas P81

  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 13235
  • Reimu sees what you have done.
Re: Don't say Betelgeuse three times fast!
« Reply #26 on: 17 February 2020, 18:47:40 »
Oh fair point, I'm just thinking of how much mass has to be kicked off.  Wonder what that would look like up close!
Logged
Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen,
Tod und Verzweiflung flammet um mich her!
Fühlt nicht durch dich Jadefalke Todesschmerzen,
So bist du meine Tochter nimmermehr!
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »