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Discussion » Questions » Science and Technology » If Alpha Centauri A, the closest star to us, became a red giant and exploded in a supernova, then...
MathematicallyMindedFractal

If Alpha Centauri A, the closest star to us, became a red giant and exploded in a supernova, then...

The resultant (Type I) supernova would be 60,000 times brighter than the full moon and about a tenth as bright as the sun. So for a period of time, it'd look as if, for the southern hemisphere, there were two suns in the sky. A Type II supernova would only be a fifth as bright as a Type I supernova and would last FAR longer. Sadly it'll be a couple billion years before this even has a chance of happening, and the sun will be long dead. The sun will have a relatively quiet death, just hazing out into a planetary nebula with a white dwarf at the center. Gosh space is sexy :D

Posted - October 12, 2016
Tags : space astronomy alpha centauri supernova nova star

Responses


  • 44608
     Alpha Centauri A does not have sufficient mass to create a supernova. It is just a boring G2 star similar to ours and will eventually, during its final few million years, fizzle out and become a red giant. Gosh...knowledge is sexy.
      October 12, 2016 8:06 AM MDT
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  • 127
    I know-it's theoretically speaking ;)
      October 12, 2016 8:17 AM MDT
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  • 44608
    I figured...I asked a question at AB (asked by a physics professor to his class) about the earth turning into a black hole, what would something in orbit do. I got harassed about that one. I was furious. I actually got a correct answer though. Sorry if I offended you...just having some fun and showing off. I taught astronomy for five years. This post was edited by Element 99 at October 12, 2016 3:58 PM MDT
      October 12, 2016 3:55 PM MDT
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  • 127
    Nah, it didn't offend me :P I want to teach astronomy. I am an astronomy/math major. There isn't a thing I don't love about space! And haha some people simply aren't cut out for the theoretics :) One of my favorites is confusing people with compressing the mass of the sun into black-hole density. Aside from the lack of radiation, most people immediately start thinking that the earth will be yanked out of its orbit without realizing that the gravitational pull will be exactly the same and as such would stay pretty much on the same orbit :P Fascinating stuff. What's your opinion on the multiverse theory and string theory?
      October 12, 2016 6:40 PM MDT
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  • 127
    3M☉ to go Nova, and 20M☉ to go black hole :D <3 Knowledge IS sexy. 
      October 12, 2016 8:19 AM MDT
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  • 46117
    I'll worry about it when the time comes.   Right now, I have bigger fish to fry.  By that time, we will all be living elsewhere anyway. This post was edited by WM BARR . =ABSOLUTE TRASH at October 12, 2016 8:08 AM MDT
      October 12, 2016 8:08 AM MDT
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  • 5835
    Alpha Centauri (a Cen) is the closest star system to the Solar System at a distance of 4.37 light-years (1.34 pc).[5] It consists of three stars: the pair Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B and a small and faint red dwarf, Proxima Centauri, that may be gravitationally bound to the other two.[12]
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri

    The star nearest our sun is Proxima Centauri, 4.24 light years distant.
      October 12, 2016 12:31 PM MDT
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  • 44608
    And you are telling us this because__________________?
      October 12, 2016 3:56 PM MDT
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  • 5835
    I have nothing better to do than look up obscure information. I have even calculated the force of gravity between our sun and that star, but I don't bother telling anybody about it.

    What, I need a reason to post here now? Does it have to be a good reason or what? This post was edited by Not Sure at October 12, 2016 9:38 PM MDT
      October 12, 2016 9:36 PM MDT
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