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This star system is about 8000 light-years away. For comparison, in 1572 a different star, also about 8000 light-years away, was observed to go supernova. At it

This star system is about 8000 light-years away. For comparison, in 1572 a different star, also about 8000 light-years away, was observed to go supernova. At its brightest, it was reported to be about as bright as Venus. This supernova would probably reach similar brightness levels.

francisofascii 8y ago
Interesting story. You have to wonder if the "Christmas" star was a supernova like this one. It suddenly appears, becomes visible during the day for a few weeks, then slowly vanishes for about a year.
- macintux 8y ago
  There was a sci-fi short story about this, in which a team of explorers found the Christmas star...and the remnants of the civilization which wiped out as a consequence.
  - syntheticnature 8y ago
    It was "The Star", by Arthur C. Clarke. Worth noting that the viewpoint character is a Jesuit priest. https://sites.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/TheStar.pdf https://sites.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/TheStar.pdf
    - hardlianotion 8y ago
      Never heard of it. Thanks!
- sizzzzlerz 8y ago
  or, whether it actually happened. no other cultures with astronomical knowledge have ever been found to have reported on such a star ~2000 years ago. if there was a sighting visible in the med region, it was likely an asteroid or, possibly, Jupiter.
  - francisofascii 8y ago
    No other cultures? The Chinese recorded a "comet" in 5 BC that appeared for 70 days. Maybe the "comet" was a supernova. https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%BC%A2%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7026 https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%BC%A2%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B70...
    - sizzzzlerz 8y ago
      I saw that article. If you read a little further, the position of the comet couldn't have led the so-called wisemen to Bethleham (yet another apocryphal tale). So, still no other cultures.
      - skykooler 8y ago
        This reminds me of an interesting piece on what paths the wisemen would have taken if they followed a star continuously: https://what-if.xkcd.com/25/ https://what-if.xkcd.com/25/

francisofascii 8y ago

Interesting story. You have to wonder if the "Christmas" star was a supernova like this one. It suddenly appears, becomes visible during the day for a few weeks, then slowly vanishes for about a year.

macintux 8y ago
There was a sci-fi short story about this, in which a team of explorers found the Christmas star...and the remnants of the civilization which wiped out as a consequence.
- syntheticnature 8y ago
  It was "The Star", by Arthur C. Clarke. Worth noting that the viewpoint character is a Jesuit priest. https://sites.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/TheStar.pdf https://sites.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/TheStar.pdf
  - hardlianotion 8y ago
    Never heard of it. Thanks!
sizzzzlerz 8y ago
or, whether it actually happened. no other cultures with astronomical knowledge have ever been found to have reported on such a star ~2000 years ago. if there was a sighting visible in the med region, it was likely an asteroid or, possibly, Jupiter.
- francisofascii 8y ago
  No other cultures? The Chinese recorded a "comet" in 5 BC that appeared for 70 days. Maybe the "comet" was a supernova. https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%BC%A2%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7026 https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%BC%A2%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B70...
  - sizzzzlerz 8y ago
    I saw that article. If you read a little further, the position of the comet couldn't have led the so-called wisemen to Bethleham (yet another apocryphal tale). So, still no other cultures.
    - skykooler 8y ago
      This reminds me of an interesting piece on what paths the wisemen would have taken if they followed a star continuously: https://what-if.xkcd.com/25/ https://what-if.xkcd.com/25/