Twin Suns by 2012?

**DeadApe** on 27th January 2011, 6:01 pm

Earth could be getting a second sun, at least temporarily.

Dr. Brad Carter, Senior Lecturer of Physics at the University of Southern Queensland, outlined the scenario to news.com.au. Betelgeuse, one of the night sky's brightest stars, is losing mass, indicating it is collapsing. It could run out of fuel and go super-nova at any time.

When that happens, for at least a few weeks, we'd see a second sun, Carter says. There may also be no night during that timeframe.

The Star Wars-esque scenario could happen by 2012, Carter says... or it could take longer. The explosion could also cause a neutron star or result in the formation of a black hole 1300 light years from Earth, reports news.com.au.

But doomsday sayers should be careful about speculation on this one. If the star does go super-nova, Earth will be showered with harmless particles, according to Carter. "They will flood through the Earth and bizarrely enough, even though the supernova we see visually will light up the night sky, 99 per cent of the energy in the supernova is released in these particles that will come through our bodies and through the Earth with absolutely no harm whatsoever," he told news.com.au.

In fact, a neutrino shower could be beneficial to Earth. According to Carter this "star stuff" makes up the universe. "It literally makes things like gold, silver - all the heavy elements - even things like uranium....a star like Betelgeuse is instantly forming for us all sorts of heavy elements and atoms that our own Earth and our own bodies have from long past supernovi," said Carter.

UPDATE: To clarify, the news.com.au article does not say a neutrino shower could be beneficial to Earth, but implies a supernova could be beneficial, stating, "Far from being a sign of the apocalypse, according to Dr Carter the supernova will provide Earth with elements necessary for survival and continuity."

Taken from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/20/two-suns-twin-stars_n_811864.html

Pretty badass. I'm excited.

**zombie dude** on 27th January 2011, 6:18 pm

sounds crazy, but it would be pretty bad ass.

**Flasktoss55** on 27th January 2011, 7:18 pm

So we'll all get superpowers from a star exploding.

My dreams are coming truuuuuuuuueeee.

**BLACK SNOW 13** on 27th January 2011, 7:33 pm

Waiting for this.

**Cry Vengeance** on 27th January 2011, 8:50 pm

BLACK HOLE SUNNN, WON'T YOU COMMMMEEE???

**DeadApe** on 27th January 2011, 9:11 pm

Cry Vengeance wrote:BLACK HOLE SUNNN, WON'T YOU COMMMMEEE???

+1

**steveeeee** on 27th January 2011, 9:43 pm

99 per cent of the energy in the supernova is released in these particles that will come through our bodies

.....what

**Super Mega King** on 27th January 2011, 11:17 pm

steveeee wrote:
99 per cent of the energy in the supernova is released in these particles that will come through our bodies

.....what

Helium nuclei can pass through human bodies.

**Bladewind23** on 27th January 2011, 11:51 pm

This is going to give some sick pictures.

BLOW UP DAMNIT.

**Pwnisher James** on 28th January 2011, 11:01 am

This actually sounds like a good thing, lets keep it that way.

**eaustinn36** on 28th January 2011, 4:19 pm

Wait, this is happening in 2012 right?

oh..

**Dexta117** on 28th January 2011, 4:31 pm

Just to let you know, some american scientist said that this could happen anywhere from tomorrow - 100,000 years from now. It was the second update in the article.

**Meatshield718** on 28th January 2011, 5:15 pm

Dexta117 wrote:Just to let you know, some american scientist said that this could happen anywhere from tomorrow - 100,000 years from now. It was the second update in the article.

Just so you know, it's astronomy, and nothing is guessable within 100,000 years.

**Made in Finland** on 28th January 2011, 5:29 pm

Meatshield718 wrote:Just so you know, it's astronomy, and nothing is guessable within 100,000 years.

Oh yeah?

Average age of an star - star's estimated age = star's estimated time of death.
The problem in astronomy is that nothing is guessable more accurately than by hundreds of thousands of years...

**Dexta117** on 28th January 2011, 5:35 pm

yea your right it was a astronomy but this is what the guy said, U.S. astronomer Phil Plait added, "Betelgeuse might go up tonight, or it might not be for 100,000 years. We're just not sure."

I said 100,000 years because he said it might not be for 100,00 years. And are you sure nothing is guessable in 100,000 years? what about when a new gaming system will come out? I am pretty sure people would be guessing less than 100,000 years.

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