What Milky Way stars could go supernova to < +3 at any time?

In summary, certain stars in the Milky Way have the potential to go supernova and reach a magnitude of +3 at any given time. These stars are typically large, massive stars that have reached the end of their life cycle and have exhausted their fuel, resulting in a catastrophic explosion. Although these events are rare and unpredictable, they can have significant impacts on the surrounding environment and can even be visible to the naked eye. Scientists continue to study and monitor these potential supernova candidates in the Milky Way.
  • #1
swampwiz
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(I use +3 as the cutoff as that seems to be the limit of easily visible stars.) Yes, I know that Betelgeuse could go up in a < -10 blaze of glory, but I wonder what other ones are out there.

On a side note, how fast could the big observatories move to it to observe it? And how quickly would it be noticed at all?
 
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  • #2
physicshelp21 said:
There are many stars that are visible to the naked eye and have an apparent magnitude of +3 or brighter. Some examples include Sirius, Canopus, Alpha Centauri A and B, Vega, Capella, Arcturus, and Rigel. There are also many other stars that are visible to the naked eye but have an apparent magnitude fainter than +3.

Regarding your second question, the speed at which observatories could move to observe Betelgeuse depends on a number of factors, including the distance to the star, the location of the observatories, and the availability of suitable telescopes and other equipment. Betelgeuse is located approximately 642.5 light-years from Earth, which means that it would take a very long time for a spacecraft or other astronomical observatory to travel there.
I hope it helped.
I meant what stars could go as bright as +3 at the peak of their supernova, not current stars.

This weird answer sounds like it was generated by a bot.
 
  • #3
swampwiz said:
This weird answer sounds like it was generated by a bot.
Some people think that's funny.

You're not going to get a list.

First, your magnitude is not constraining. SN1987a wasn't even in our galaxy and it was brighter than 3.

Next, there are thousands upon thousands of stars who are likely progenitors. If we get on average one SN every 30 years and could tell within 30,000 years when one was nearing the end (and we can't) that would be a thousand stars. Of these many thousands of stars, most don't have names, just catalog numbers, and some are obscured by dust and gas.

You want some possibilities: Sher 25 and Eta Carinae are likely to go "soon".
 
  • #4
swampwiz said:
(I use +3 as the cutoff as that seems to be the limit of easily visible stars.) Yes, I know that Betelgeuse could go up in a < -10 blaze of glory, but I wonder what other ones are out there.

On a side note, how fast could the big observatories move to it to observe it? And how quickly would it be noticed at all?

https://snews2.org/

The Super Nova Early Warning System is designed to give electromagnetic telescopes a warning ahead of the supernova's light.

The principle was first demonstrated when neutrinos from supernova SN1987a preceded that explosion's light by two to three hours.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_1987A

Thanks,

Cerenkov.
 
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1. What is a supernova?

A supernova is a powerful explosion that occurs when a star reaches the end of its life cycle. It is one of the most energetic events in the universe and can briefly outshine an entire galaxy.

2. How do stars go supernova?

There are two main types of supernovae: Type I and Type II. Type I supernovae occur in binary star systems where one star is a white dwarf and the other is a normal star. The white dwarf pulls material from the other star until it reaches a critical mass and explodes. Type II supernovae occur when a massive star runs out of fuel and its core collapses, causing a massive explosion.

3. Which Milky Way stars are most likely to go supernova?

The most likely candidates for supernovae in the Milky Way are massive stars that are at least eight times the mass of our sun. These stars have shorter lifespans and are more likely to run out of fuel and explode.

4. Can we predict when a star will go supernova?

While we can identify which stars are most likely to go supernova, we cannot accurately predict when it will happen. This is because the timing of a supernova is dependent on many factors, such as the star's mass and composition.

5. What would happen if a nearby star in the Milky Way went supernova?

If a star in the Milky Way went supernova, it could have significant effects on our planet, including potentially damaging our ozone layer and causing a surge of cosmic rays. However, the chances of a supernova occurring close enough to Earth to cause harm are very low.

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