Twinkle Twinkle Little Star: BGP's Astronomy Thread

[Science Friction]

Our pitiful little sun...

 

[PepRock01]

Can you add V-Y Canis Majoris to that one?

[Science Friction]

Here's a quick one minute video showing the size comparison of our sun to larger stars, including the largest one, UY- Scuti.

 

[theguru]

What a phenomenal thread @Science Friction

[Science Friction]

What a phenomenal thread @Science Friction

 

Thank you very much. I've not had the time to add much the last few days but I will keep at it. Nothing fascinates me more than our universe and its many mysteries.

[Science Friction]

One of my favorite red supergiants is a star that most of you have heard of and many of you have probably seen in the night sky. It's the ninth brightest star in the night sky and is 642.5 light years from Earth. Of course, it Betelguese.

 

While very unlikely, it is possible we could bear witness to a once in a millennium cosmic event thanks to the famous red supergiant dying star. I would say Betelguese will go supernova on the universe's butt in 100,000 to 1,000,000 years(probably closer to the million) but it is not out of the realm of possibility that it could happen tomorrow or next week or next month. Scientists know it's only a matter of time until it blows. If Betelguese blew up , say 600+ years ago(highly unlikely but possible), then we will be treated to some kind of spectacular treat in our lifetime. Let's just say I'm not holding my breath, but I am hoping we win the celestial lottery and get to witness this event.

 

Here are a few facts about Betelguese:

 

*Betelgeuse is 642.5 light years from Earth.

*It is classed as a red supergiant and is the tenth brightest star in the night sky.

*As part of the Orion constellation Betelgeuse can be easily found in the night sky through most of the year.

*High mass stars such as Betelgeuse burn their fuel extremely quickly, as a result they exist for only a few million years, stars such as our sun exist for billions of years.

*At only 10 million years old Betelgeuse is already near the end of its lifespan and is expected to explode as a supernova in the next million years.

 

*Supernovas occur when high mass stars can no longer fuse elements in their core.

*When Betelgeuse explodes it will appear as bright as the moon in the night sky for several weeks and may even be visible during the day.

*Supernovas produce deadly bursts of gamma ray radiation but fortunately Betelgeuse is too far away to cause any damage to Earth.

*Betelgeuse can acceptably be pronounced as 'Beetlejuice' although there are several variations in its pronouncement.

 

Betelgeuse Radius

*Betelgeuse has around a thousand times the radius of the sun, if it was placed in the center of our solar system the star would reach beyond the orbit of Jupiter!

Betelgeuse Mass

*Betelgeuse is estimated to have a maximum mass of around 20 to 30 times that of the sun.

Betelgeuse Temperature

*Betelgeuse is estimated to have surface temperatures of around 3200C (5800F), around 60% as hot as the sun.

Betelgeuse Luminosity (energy emitted)

*Due to its enormous size Betelgeuse is around 100,000 times more luminous than the sun.

 

Betelgeuse Statistics

Also Known As: Alpha Orionis

Distance From Earth: 642.5 light years

Constellation: Orion

Star Type: Class M Supergiant

Mass: Estimates average around 20 times the mass of the sun

Luminosity: Approx 100,000 x Sun

Diameter: Approx 850 million miles (1.4 billion km) - 1000 x Sun

Temperature: Approx 3200C (5800F)

Age: Approx 10 million years old

Rotation Period: Estimated around 15 to 30 years

[Science Friction]

Betelguese- Gonna go bang bang:

 

[Science Friction]

Maybe the sharpest image of Saturn ever taken from the ground was acquired just two weeks ago by Damian Peach and six of his colleagues using the 1-meter Pic Du Midi reflector high up in the French Pyrenees. Amazing pic!!! Enjoy, astronomy fans!

 

[Science Friction]

Some things to look for the next few evenings:

 

Sunday, June 25

 

• By the time it's fully dark this week, Altair is shining well up in the east. Helping to identify it is its little sidekick Tarazed (Gamma Aquilae), a finger-width above it or to its upper left. (They're unrelated; Altair is 17 light-years from us; Tarazed is about 460.)

 

Look left of Altair, by hardly more than a fist width, for the compact little constellation Delphinus, the Dolphin.

 

Monday, June 26

 

• The tiny black shadow of Io crosses Jupiter's face tonight from 10:23 p.m. to 12:33 a.m. EDT, when it leaves Jupiter's western limb. Then just three minutes later, Europa exits from in front of Jupiter's western limb. ( really cool to see if you have a nice telescope---SF)

 

Tuesday, June 27

 

• This evening, look for 1st-magnitude Regulus within 1° or 2° of the waxing crescent Moon (for North America).

 

 

 

Thursday, June 29

 

• The central stars of the constellation Lyra, forming a small triangle and parallelogram, dangle to the lower right from bright Vega high in the east. The two brightest stars of the pattern, after Vega, are the two forming the bottom of the parallelogram: Beta and Gamma Lyrae, Sheliak and Sulafat. They're currently lined up vertically. Beta is the one on top.

 

Friday, June 30

 

• First-quarter Moon (exact at 8:51 p.m. EDT). The "star" left of the moon is Jupiter.

 

• And this evening, the Moon's dark limb will occult (cover) the bright, tight double star Gamma Virginis (Porrima) for much of the U.S. and Canada. The event happens in daylight for the West, twilight for the central longitudes of the continent, and later in darkness for the East.

 

Saturday, July 1

 

• The Moon this evening forms a broad triangle with Jupiter and Spica in the southwest.

[mcpapa]

Bought a Meade Polaris digital telescope at a thrift store this weekend for five bucks. Looks like this one:

 

[PepRock01]

Bought a Meade Polaris digital telescope at a thrift store this weekend for five bucks. Looks like this one:

 

 

 

That's a heck of a deal

[Science Friction]

Bought a Meade Polaris digital telescope at a thrift store this weekend for five bucks. Looks like this one:

 

 

Wow, you are some kinda picker.

[Science Friction]

For those who have clear viewing tonight(July 1), the Moon, Jupiter , and Spica forms a broad triangle in the southwestern sky.

 

[Science Friction]

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[Science Friction]

The Moon-Jupiter-Spica three-way: