2nd Sun to appear in 2012

[Dleg]

Two Suns? Twin Stars Could Be Visible From Earth By 2012

I can't wait for the 2012 nutjobs to get ahold of this....

[SIZE=18pt]Earth could be getting a second sun, at least temporarily.[/SIZE]
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."

UPDATE II: In a follow-up piece on news.com.au, Dr. Carter stressed that there is no way of knowing when the star may go supernova. 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."

 

[wilheldp_PE]

I wish I worked in a field where I could say "this might happen, but I have no idea when," and it would be groundbreaking work in my industry.

 

[bigray76]

Is that like me telling an owner that his project may cost between $10M and $100M, and being right???

 

[navyasw02]

This is what the Maya predicted! The end is near!

BTW - How can people say the world is going to end just because the Maya calendar runs out in 2012? I dont say the world is going to end just because my Far Side desk calendar runs out on Dec 31st.

 

[Supe]

Is that like me telling an owner that his project may cost between $10M and $100M, and being right???

More like telling him it's between $0 and $100B, and that he might have a project to begin with.

 

[FLBuff PE]

That should help the solar power revolution.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

That should help the solar power revolution.

Are you kidding? It would double the rate of Global Warming!

 

[Supe]

That should help the solar power revolution.

Are you kidding? It would double the rate of Global Warming!

So what you're saying is I should load up on hydroelectric stock?

 

[Capt Worley PE]

That should help the solar power revolution.

Are you kidding? It would double the rate of Global Warming!

So what you're saying is I should load up on hydroelectric stock?

No, the water will boil off due to global warming increases.

 

[Dleg]

No, what you need to invest in is my neutrino harvesting technology. I'm gonna make it to the big-times when Betelgeuse blows.

 

[FLBuff PE]

No, what you need to invest in is my neutrino harvesting technology. I'm gonna make it to the big-times when Betelgeuse blows.

Just to be clear, we're talking about this guy, right?

 

[Dleg]

I'm not really sure. But I'd avoid saying the name more than two times in a row, if I were you.