"What Happens if Betelgeuse Explodes?"--John Michael Godier (10 min.)
As you may know, Betelgeuse, normally one of the brightest stars in the heavens, has undergone an unprecedented dimming since last October raising speculation that it might be ready to go supernova. This video briefly explains the dimming including possible mechanisms, as well as describing what scientists think the supernova explosion would look like from Earth.
One thing I think they forgot to mention was the time/distance factor. Experts say that Betelgeuse could explode "soon" but what they didn't mention is that it could have gone supernovae almost 700 years ago and the light and/or radiation from the explosion would just now be arriving here. While I don't forsee a "duck and cover" type of scenario...700 light years is a helluva long way for energy and/or matter to travel...it still is kind of an ominous feeling knowing that the bomb already went off back when the Knights Templar were gearing up for the Crusades. Its a bit like having a sniper firing at you...you don't know the bullets been fired until it arrives or you hear the bang.
ReplyDelete