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Powerful Supernova May Be Related To Death Spasms of First Stars

Posted by Zonk on from the we-need-a-few-more-heavy-elements-out-here dept.

necro81 writes "The New York Times is reporting on a discovery from a team of UC Berkley researchers, who may have discovered the brightest stellar explosion ever observed. Observations of the cataclysmic explosion of a 100- to 200-solar-mass star began last September, based on data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The researchers believe that the explosion is similar to the death spasms of the first stars in the universe. The super-massive star's collapse is believed to have been so energetic as to create unstable electron-positron pairs that tore the star apart before it could collapse into a black hole — seeding the universe with heavier elements."

7 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. Kinda OT, but I thought I'd say... by Red+Flayer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Great summary. Lots of informative links, accurate and intriguing summary of the article(s). No gratuitous inflammatory question.

    Someone pinch me, I think I'm dreaming.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
    1. Re:Kinda OT, but I thought I'd say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Look, though! there's an off-topic post!!!

  2. Boom? by Jugalator · · Score: 3, Funny

    Big badaboom!

    --
    Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  3. That's no Supernova by MHz-Man · · Score: 3, Funny

    It was a precursor bomb! Looks like someone's copying the Shofixti's tactics.

  4. Re:Time-lapse video? by Tablizer · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is there a time-lapse video of this somewhere? The article I read only had an artist's rendering. Or when they say "observed" are they just talking about measurements?

    Be veeery careful when asking for images on slashdot of anything that explodes, bursts, or has holes in it.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  5. Old News... by rthille · · Score: 3, Funny


    Slashdot, 240 million years behind the times.

    (I should probably post this anonymously :-)

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    Awesome furniture, accessories and cabinetry in Santa Rosa, CA: http://humanity-home.com/
  6. RIP Planet Krypton by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    The New York Times is reporting on a discovery from a team of UC Berkley researchers, who may have discovered the brightest stellar explosion ever observed. causing the tragic end of the vibrant Kryptonian civilization.

    seeding the universe with heavier elements. Hmm...didn't they recently discover Kryptonite. Co-incidence?