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Youngest Galactic Supernova Found, But No Aliens

Posted by timothy on from the tax-paid-striptease-from-nasa dept.

Simon Howes writes "After searching for decades, astronomers have found a supernova in our galaxy! So it wasn't little green men we were waiting for. It's located very near the center of the galaxy, about 28,000 light years away, and it's only at most about 140 years old. Quote from Bad Astronomy: 'If you're wondering what all the buzz has been about the past few days over a NASA discovery, then wait no longer. No, it's not aliens or an incoming asteroid. Instead, it's still very cool: astronomers have found the youngest supernova in the Milky Way.'" FiReaNGeL contributes a link to coverage on e! Science News; I think Wired's account of the super-hyped tele-press-conference is the funniest.

5 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. 140 Years old by Kingrames · · Score: 5, Funny

    Younger than America, that's actually really impressive.

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    1. Re:140 Years old by Azaril · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It would be, if wasn't actually 28140 years old.

  2. Doesn't make sense.... by Mikkeles · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If it's 140 yrs old, then it can't be farther than 140 ly for us to know about it ??!!?

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    Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.
  3. Re:distance vs age? by rossdee · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In space, all news is old news.

  4. I came in here to burn some mod points... by SatanicPuppy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And I'm posting because there is no "Moron" mod.

    This is seriously one of the stupidest discussions I've ever seen on /. Every post is either repeating something from the article, making a pedantic loser comment on the "140 years" line, or explaining to the morons the whole concept of "Frame of Reference."

    It's what I'd expect from a society where people prank call a scientific conference. Nice one, guys.

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    ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.