Another Supernova Threat
The standard spiel from orthodox science is that only supernovae within 100 light years of Earth could wipe us out. It’s refreshing to see in an article (at Space.com) this admission:
Astronomers have previously said that any supernova explosion within 100 light-years of Earth would likely be devastating, but beyond 100 light-years, it’s not known for sure what the effects might be. However, astronomers have also been keeping an eye on Eta Carinae, a potential supernova about 7,500 light-years away. One factor, astronomers say, is how powerful a given supernova is.
Nicely said. We don’t know enough about supernovae to make predictions about one occurring in our vicinity. About all we do know is, all other things being equal, closer is more dangerous. But all supernovae are not equal, so we should still be wary of those that we are not 100% sure of.
Now we have a newly identified threat:
The two stars are in a close binary system called T Pyxidis, located in the Southern Hemisphere constellation Pyxis (“The Compass Box”). Researchers found that the system is only 3,260 light-years from our solar system – far closer than anyone previously thought.
…The new findings suggest the white dwarf, considered close to us by cosmic standards, could eventually go supernova. Gamma radiation emitted by the supernova could threaten the Earth with an energy equivalent to 1,000 simultaneous solar flares.
The production of nitrous oxides in Earth’s atmosphere by the gamma rays could completely destroy the ozone layer, astronomers said.
Demise, if it comes, won’t be anytime soon, however: Scientists’ calculations suggest that the star will explode in about 10 million years…
Or, we could be in for a surprise. Another article says “Suffice it to say that we’re far enough from T Pyxidis that we can’t really tell exactly how big it is or how quickly it’s accreting mass.” And it’s all just guesswork.
This story is news this week because the stars have been found to be far closer to us than previously thought. Nothing is set in concrete.
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