i heard that a supernova will occur that we will all be able to see with our naked eye. is this true?

Answer 1

No-one can predict that a suopernova will occur. You don't know that it will happen, until you see that it has happened. The most you can say is that certain stars, because of their massive size, are candidates for becoming supernovae at some point in the future. But that doesn't mean they will become one.

There are two main ways that a supernova can occur.

Wikipedia says:

"A supernova is a stellar explosion that produces an extremely bright object made of plasma that declines to invisibility over weeks or months. There are several different types of supernovae and two possible routes to their formation. A massive star may cease to generate fusion energy from fusing the nuclei of atoms in its core and collapse inward under the force of its own gravity to form a neutron star or black hole, or a white dwarf star may accumulate material from a companion star until it nears its Chandrasekhar limit and undergoes runaway nuclear fusion in its interior, completely disrupting it. In either case, the resulting supernova explosion expels much or all of the stellar material with great force.

The explosion drives a blast wave into the surrounding space, forming a supernova remnant. "

Our sun is not massive enough to become a supernova, nor is it a white dwarf (though in five billion years time, after a 100 million years phase of swelling into a Red Giant when it runs out of hydrogen to fuse into helium, it will become a white dwarf). Even when it becomes a white dwarf, it does not have a companion star, So neither of these scenarios will occur.

So the person above who claims "Someday the sun will supernova and encompass everything within the orbit of Jupiter" is confused.

Once it has exhausted its supply of hydrogen and starts to fuse helium, to make carbon, the sun will get much hotter and start to swell in size as it evolves into a Red Giant. It is thought Mercury and Venus will become engulfed in the process but that the Earth will avoid that fate, as the sun will lose mass, and gravitational attraction with it and we will develop a larger orbit than our current one. Earth however will become heat-scorched and its water and air will boil off and life will become impossible here.

However that is not a supernova, which is an explosion in an instant, it is a bog-standard stellar evolutionary process taking millions of years.

Answer 2

Bruce's answer is essentially correct if not a little long winded :)

The answer is yes. Supernovae happen quite frequently, but so much of the universe is so distant that we can not see them noticeably.

When one happens in a nearby galaxy or within our galaxy, we can see them. It is entirely possible that we will see another one within the next 20 years or so. But the predictability is really nothing more than statistical probabilities.

The two candidates for supernova that come to mind right off are Betelgeuse and Antares. Either one could explode at a moment's notice between now and the next thousand years or so. In the life time of a star, that's like saying, "any minute now".

The down side to this is that both stars are uncomfortably close. If either one goes supernova, not only will it light up the night sky tremendously, but the gamma radiation will be so intense that it could very well snuff out life on our planet or at the very least throw the ecosystem into total chaos.

Sleep well! ;)

Answer 3

Yes, supernovae have been visible with the naked eye throughout history. However, these events are "rare" compared to our lifetime, and we don't know that one has occurred until we see it - we don't know in advance.

Below is a link on supernovae, with links to other specific supernovae.

Answer 4

Yes, the supernova will be occurring close to our galaxy. Supernovas are usually very bright, spectacular events and the last observable supernova occurred in the 11th century where the nights were lit up because of it! To discuss topics in space and astronomy go to astrowhiz on Yahoo Groups!

Answer 5

a few years ago in the southern sky there was a supernova that could be seen for a few months. think of it this way, any of the stars you can now see at night might go supernova. you would be able to see them for a period of time with your naked eye.

Answer 6

To the best of my knowledge, supernovas are impossible to predict from far away. If there were to be one within, say, 100 light-years of earth we would probably be fried when the light/radiation got here.

It is believed by some that the 'Star of Bethlehem' that heralded Christ's birth was a nova or supernova.

Answer 7

Someday the sun will supernova and encompass everything within the orbit of Jupiter... I'll bet man kind gets to see the first few stages of that one.

Answer 8

Yeah, mainly when our sun turns to one then all life on Earth will be destroyed from a massive fireball.
I think you can see supernovas from other stars aswell.

Answer 9

supernovas are pretty powerful when they explode. so that's probably a yes

Answer 10

Yes, it airs at 9ET on Tuesday and 8 on Wed on NBC.