[meteorite-list] Death Star Story - Link corrected

From: countdeiro at earthlink.net <countdeiro_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 12:15:25 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <7861704.1262884525263.JavaMail.root_at_wamui-haziran.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

Sterling and List,

Your fully annotated response is one of the reasons I appreciate the List. Thank you for the reply. I can use it to calm down some friends. I had some concerns myself...not knowing "poop" about the lethality of supernovas and GRBs.

Guido

-----Original Message-----
>From: "Sterling K. Webb" <sterling_k_webb at sbcglobal.net>
>Sent: Jan 7, 2010 3:57 AM
>To: countdeiro at earthlink.net, meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Death Star Story - Link corrected
>
>Dear Count, and Listoids,
>
>Another story:
>http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-01/star-verge-supernova-could-threaten-life-earth
>
>And another:
>http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/T_Pyxidis_Soon_To_Be_A_Type_Ia_Supernova_999.html
>
>And another:
>http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=8944
>
>All taken from the same press release, you will note.
>
>And all equally in error about The End Of All Life As
>We Know It. It's a math mistake: "However, Dr. Sion's
>calculations were challenged by Prof. Alex Fillipenko
>who said that Sion had possibly miscalculated the
>damage that could be caused by a T Pyxidis supernova.
>He had used data for a far more deadly gamma-ray burst
>(GRB) exploding 3,260 light-years from Earth, not a
>supernova, and T Pyxidis certainly isn't expected to
>produce a GRB. According to an another expert,
>"A supernova would have to be 10 times closer [to Earth]
>to do the damage described."
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_Pyxidis
>
>Information about nearby supernovas of the recent past:
>http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/06jan_bubble.htm
>
>The truth is a supernova would be disastrous at 25 light
>years away (not 3260). 50 light years away and it would
>cause some damage, although it's hard to say how much.
>100 light years away and it would be the action movie of
>all time but you might worry that you sat too near to the
>screen. There are two kinds (strengths) of supernovas. For
>the Big One, I'd want to sit further away than the 300 Light
>Year Line
>
>But 3260 light years? Fergettabouttit!
>
>Now, I can go to bed without worrying about a darn
>Supernova...
>
>It's always something.
>
>
>Sterling K. Webb
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <countdeiro at earthlink.net>
>To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 1:18 AM
>Subject: [meteorite-list] Death Star Story - Link corrected
>
>
>>
>> Sorry List,
>> Here is corrected link re previous Death Star post.
>> Count Deiro
>>
>> http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2795981/Supernova-may-wipe-out-the-Earth.html
>> ______________________________________________
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>
Received on Thu 07 Jan 2010 12:15:25 PM PST