Supernova in M95

[conrail]

<geek>

Anyone into this sort of thing, this is very fascinating. It just appears like a dot of light as if someone had turned on a switch, and will slowly fade out over the next couple of weeks so check it out if you can!

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/ba...-the-pictures/

From the Boston suburbs with my 8" Dobsonian, I can just barely make out the fuzzy blog that is the M95 galaxy (an accomplishment in itself to find this galaxy from non-rural skies) and just barely can make out the tiny spec of light that is the supernova. Incredible just to see a star in another galaxy!

</geek>

[MoBe]

I`m surprised you can see anything from the eastern seaboard of the US,well done.

[Noonan]

That's awesome. I'm in the same area but only have a 4" Vixen. I doubt I'd be able to make it out unless I drove to the western part of the state where the sky is much darker.

[gwalker]

Very cool. Thanks for posting!!!!! I love space and enjoy reading about things like this.

[joeychitwood]

Hopefully I'll be able to spot it with my 8" Dob before it fades. It should be fairly easy to find, lying a degree to the left and below Mars. I've never seen a supernova with my telescope, and this is a rare opportunity.

[gwalker]

Originally Posted by joeychitwood

Hopefully I'll be able to spot it with my 8" Dob before it fades. It should be fairly easy to find, lying a degree to the left and below Mars. I've never seen a supernova with my telescope, and this is a rare opportunity.

I agree very rare chance. I wish my telescope was here instead of in AL so I could view it. Its been so foggy here I haven't even seen a star in a week.

[conrail]

Originally Posted by MoBe

I`m surprised you can see anything from the eastern seaboard of the US,well done.

Originally Posted by Noonan

That's awesome. I'm in the same area but only have a 4" Vixen. I doubt I'd be able to make it out unless I drove to the western part of the state where the sky is much darker.

Originally Posted by joeychitwood

Hopefully I'll be able to spot it with my 8" Dob before it fades. It should be fairly easy to find, lying a degree to the left and below Mars. I've never seen a supernova with my telescope, and this is a rare opportunity.

M95 is incredibly tough here in metro-Boston. I know I've tried (and given up very quickly) looking for it on other nights. I think its proximity to Mars really helps because you can pan/scan in the viewfinder until the hazy blob appears. Its proximity to Mars is also a curse because you do get some light pollution from Mars.

I read today on a NatGeo website that it is actually (contrary to what they thought in the first few days) getting brighter; perhaps down to a magnitude 10 or 11 (from high 12s/13s).

It is amazing that astronomers happened to be watching M95 "during" the supernova lighting up - quite a coincidence because I think a lot of people would have tried when Mars wasn't so close - these things come and go so quickly that if someone weren't watching it, we may never have known it happened at all.

Also interesting that they may have located the source star, another rare feat: http://www.space.com/15012-supernova...-star-m95.html

[Timber Loftis]

It's so funny to talk about this in the present, when it really happened over 35 million years ago.

[conrail]

Originally Posted by Timber Loftis

It's so funny to talk about this in the present, when it really happened over 35 million years ago.

Yea, right!? The stars we take for granted as beacons in the night sky may not actually be there, even though we see them shining brightly (at least the giants)

[gwalker]

Originally Posted by Timber Loftis

It's so funny to talk about this in the present, when it really happened over 35 million years ago.

I know. Crazy. I really can't comprehend that number. If I could have a dollar a year imagine how many watches I could buy....

[wantonebad]

Since we all only have 9 more months until a super gamma-burst wipes out all life on this planet I don't have time to take up a new hobby. But I'm glad you guys are enjoying the view!

[conrail]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

Since we all only have 9 more months until a super gamma-burst wipes out all life on this planet I don't have time to take up a new hobby. But I'm glad you guys are enjoying the view!

Hahaha - in that millisecond of gamma-bursting-destruction you can consider yourself having a front row seat to the hobby ;-)