Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around identifying stars in the Milky Way that could potentially go supernova and reach an apparent magnitude of +3 or brighter at their peak brightness. Participants explore the visibility of such stars, the implications of their potential supernova events, and the observational capabilities of astronomers in response to these events.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
- Technical explanation
Main Points Raised
- One participant suggests that Betelgeuse is a well-known candidate for a supernova but seeks to identify other stars that could achieve a brightness of +3 or brighter.
- Another participant lists several stars that are currently visible with a magnitude of +3 or brighter, but clarifies that the original question pertains to stars that could reach that brightness at the peak of a supernova.
- Concerns are raised about the ambiguity of the magnitude cutoff, with a participant noting that historical supernova SN1987A was brighter than +3 and not even in the Milky Way.
- It is mentioned that there are thousands of potential progenitor stars for supernovae, but many are unnamed or obscured, complicating the identification process.
- Specific stars like Sher 25 and Eta Carinae are proposed as likely candidates for imminent supernova events.
- A participant introduces the Supernova Early Warning System, which aims to provide advance notice of supernova events based on neutrino detection, referencing the early detection of SN1987A.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express differing views on the criteria for identifying stars that could go supernova and reach a brightness of +3. There is no consensus on a definitive list of stars, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the specific candidates.
Contextual Notes
Participants note the limitations in predicting supernova events, including the obscuration of many potential progenitor stars and the uncertainty in determining which stars will explode and when.