"Since its rotational axis is not toward the Earth, Betelgeuse's supernova would not cause a gamma ray burst in the direction of Earth large enough to damage its ecosystem even from a relatively close proximity of 520 light years."
Also it would take 520 years to get here anyway...
But I suppose that makes no difference because the first we'd know about it would be the gamma burst. What we're really discussing here is "Has Betelgeuse already gone Boom?"
Yes it was. [nobelprize.org] From the linked page:
The good agreement between the observed value and the theoretically calculated value of the orbital path can be seen as an indirect proof of the existence of gravitational waves.
The Nobel Prize was for discovering a binary pulsar that can be used to test GR. Indeed such systems have been shown to lose energy in a manner consistent with GR predictions of gravitational waves. However that does NOT mean that gravitational waves have been discovered. All it means is that whatever mechanism they have to lose energy is consistent with gravitational waves. Until we actually detect gravitational waves on Earth we cannot be certain that they exist.
And when a gravitational wave detector gives us a signal, we also "only" know that whatever mechanism caused that signal is consistent with GR predictions of gravitational waves. And the same is true of every other way we could test them. Note that a scientific fact is never absolutely proven, any scientific "proof" is nothing but sufficient evidence to dismiss all known reasonable alternatives.
So unless there is another reasonable theory correctly predicting the energy loss of the pulsars without gravitati
Assuming they exist at all...which has not yet been proven.
And assuming that our assumption that they travel at the speed of light is also correct. Given our history of wrong assumptions I would assume the probability is low...
They are a prediction of GR - they cannot travel faster than light. If we discover that they do then they are not the gravitational waves that are predicted but something else (and far more exciting!).
Assuming they exist at all...which has not yet been proven.
It's incredibly unlikely that they don't, since otherwise the entire universe doesn't work and is just a movie show put on by the Illuminati to keep us preoccupied while they take all our money and bring the antichrist. I blame Prince Philip. He's Greek. And the Queen is German.
Nova Post! (Score:4, Funny)
Boom!
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Seriously - If it goes supernova we should be a bit worried because it's close enough to drown us with radiation.
If that happens all our petty bickering on this planet will seem insignificant.
Of course - it's not certain that the radiation will be strong enough to kill off all life, but things will probably change a lot.
Re: (Score:5, Informative)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betelgeuse [wikipedia.org]
Re: (Score:2)
Also it would take 520 years to get here anyway...
But I suppose that makes no difference because the first we'd know about it would be the gamma burst. What we're really discussing here is "Has Betelgeuse already gone Boom?"
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
because the first we'd know about it would be the gamma burst
No, no, no, the first way to tell if a star has already gone supernova is by the change in graviton waves.
Just need to finish figuring out how to detect those... maybe if we supply more power to the lateral sensor array...
Re:Nova Post! (Score:1)
Only if they exist (Score:2)
Nope, gravitational waves travel at the speed of light.
Assuming they exist at all...which has not yet been proven.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Yes it was. [nobelprize.org]
From the linked page:
Re: (Score:2)
That's awesome. They should win a Nobel Prize for that.
Oh wait....
No they were not (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
And when a gravitational wave detector gives us a signal, we also "only" know that whatever mechanism caused that signal is consistent with GR predictions of gravitational waves. And the same is true of every other way we could test them. Note that a scientific fact is never absolutely proven, any scientific "proof" is nothing but sufficient evidence to dismiss all known reasonable alternatives.
So unless there is another reasonable theory correctly predicting the energy loss of the pulsars without gravitati
Re: (Score:2)
And assuming that our assumption that they travel at the speed of light is also correct. Given our history of wrong assumptions I would assume the probability is low...
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Assuming they exist at all...which has not yet been proven.
It's incredibly unlikely that they don't, since otherwise the entire universe doesn't work and is just a movie show put on by the Illuminati to keep us preoccupied while they take all our money and bring the antichrist. I blame Prince Philip. He's Greek. And the Queen is German.
Re: (Score:2)
At what altitude?
Re: (Score:2)
Gravitational waves, by definition, are always at sea level.
Re: (Score:2)