Which giant star goes first ?

POSTED BY: AURaptor
UPDATED: Monday, September 17, 2012 21:40
VIEWED: 3603
PAGE 1 of 1

AURAPTOR

Saturday, September 15, 2012 2:55 AM

VY Canis Majoris or Betelgeuse ?

Place your bets now !

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

THESOMNAMBULIST

Saturday, September 15, 2012 9:28 AM

If you say Betelgeuse three times it appears! So it's not Betelgeuse :D

°...Well here I am.°

AURAPTOR

Saturday, September 15, 2012 11:43 AM

Betelgeuse has lost an estimated 15 % of its mass in just the last 20 years or so.

VY Canis Majoris has already begun to throw off much of its mass, into the surrounding nebula.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

ANONYMOUSE

Saturday, September 15, 2012 12:14 PM

For the science purists among us, I have to point out that anything we see happening to Betelgeuse or VY Canis Majoris actually occurred 640 and 3,900 years ago (according to Wikipedia) respectively - speed of light, dudes, it's just too gorram slow! :)

So for all we know, either or both might already have blown up!

On the other hand, I love the idea of placing bets on 'em!

ECGORDON

Saturday, September 15, 2012 2:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ANONYMOUSE:
So for all we know, either or both might already have blown up!

I think that's a thought experiment called Schrodinger's Planet.

AURAPTOR

Monday, September 17, 2012 9:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
Quote:
Originally posted by ANONYMOUSE:
So for all we know, either or both might already have blown up!

I think that's a thought experiment called Schrodinger's Planet.

Ha! Good one.

Still, it staggers the mind to think of stars so massive and huge as these 2, along w/ the other 'hyper giants'.

It's been an amazing time for folks interested in what goes on 'up there'. We've had comets swing by, and thanks to our astronomer friends, witnessed the impact of massive objects into Jupiter.

Unlikely anyone alive today will witness a hypernova, but who knows ? Sure would be fun to see, from a VERY safe distance.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "