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PeterAngelo · Feb 18, 2004, 06:28 pm

The following story got me thinking about how important can our worrying about our VALUE in the universe be when a cosmic event could eliminate us in an instant.

It makes worrying about evolution-creationism, war, human behavior, or afterlife a complete waste of time.

Party on!!

Black Hole Seen Ripping Star Apart

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - Two space observatories have provided the first strong evidence of a supermassive black hole stretching, tearing apart and partially gobbling up a star flung into reach of its enormous gravity, astronomers said Wednesday.

The event had long been predicted by theory but never confirmed.

A powerful X-ray blast drew the attention of astronomers to the event, located near the center of a galaxy about 700 million light-years from Earth. The international team of astronomers believe gases from the star, heated to multimillion-degree temperatures as they fell toward the black hole near the heart of galaxy RX J1242-11, produced the blast.

Astronomers said a star about the size of our sun neared the black hole after veering off course following a close encounter with another star. The tremendous gravity of the black hole, estimated to have a mass 100 million times that of our sun, then stretched the star to the point of breaking.

"This is the ultimate David versus Goliath battle, but here David loses," said Gunther Hasinger, of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany.

The effect is the same that the tug of the moon has on the Earth's oceans, but with much more violent results. The black hole consumed an estimated 1 percent of the doomed star, flinging the rest out into space.

"This unlucky star just wandered into the wrong neighborhood," said Stefanie Komossa, also of the Max Planck Institute.

Astronomers used NASA's Chandra and the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-ray observatories to capture the event. Similar events are estimated to occur just once every 10,000 years in a typical galaxy.

Astronomers have seen other similar X-ray blasts before, but never were able to pinpoint them at the center of a galaxy, where black holes lurk. The new observations also revealed the characteristic X-ray signature expected of the surroundings of a black hole.

The blast first was seen in 1992 and remains visible as it fades, said Chandra press scientist Peter Edmonds, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

tusaki · Feb 18, 2004, 06:32 pm

I don't think you have to worry about it just yet.. this week.. maybe next week you'll have to start worrying. For now just continue debating.

PeterAngelo · Feb 18, 2004, 06:35 pm

Are you sure? - people believe in invisible powers - I can believe in instant Karma - which would be a big bang that put us all out to float in space looking for a new place to land.

**Pooeypants** · Feb 18, 2004, 06:36 pm

This is more of a science type thread...hmm.

Anyway, I've known about these possibilities long ago, latest estimates show that we're thousands of light years from the nearest black hole (Cygnus X-1). Although if one did appear near this solar system there'd be bugger all we could do about it, we're not ready for vast space colonisation to escape.

You should also know that a nearby supernova occurence could sterilise this planet, so could the collision between two orbiting neutron stars. Ah Space, what a nice lethal place.

tusaki · Feb 18, 2004, 06:40 pm

<blockquote>Quote:<hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (PeterAngelo,)
Are you sure? - people believe in invisible powers - I can believe in instant Karma - which would be a big bang that put us all out to float in space looking for a new place to land.<hr size="1" /></blockquote> Well if it is about karma, then you should agree that karma is always proportionate, which means that we are not so bad after all :) On the other hand, if you see how many unhappy people there are in the world.. there is a looot of bad karma. But I don't think instant death will result in better karma :). I think that karma is a way to teach us, and we have to be alive to learn.

Plaything48 · Feb 18, 2004, 07:08 pm

What you didn't mention is the amount of time it takes for one of those things to do its business, and for a star it's in the order of 10^6-9 years(approx. millions or billions of years). And seeing as one isn't around now, your safe. We'll all be dead in the next few thousand years anyway.

Impenitent · Feb 18, 2004, 11:25 pm

thousand? I thought global warming was going to kill us next week

NotScientific · Feb 19, 2004, 08:16 am

Anyway. If we get engulfed, we die. So whats the big deal.

Plaything48 · Feb 19, 2004, 08:25 am

The big deal is that I havn't beaten up a clown yet, and it's on my list of things to do. No blackhole can stop me.

NotScientific · Feb 19, 2004, 08:35 am

Black hole tearing this star.

<blockquote>Quote:<hr size="1" />Originally Posted by
Astronomers have spotted a supermassive black hole in the heart of galaxy RX J1242-11 in the process of tearing a star apart and consuming it.<hr size="1" /></blockquote>

Ohhhhhhhh man!

Impenitent · Feb 19, 2004, 11:31 am

black hole eats sun... burp at 11:00

**Pooeypants** · Feb 19, 2004, 12:52 pm

There's a supermassive blackhole at the center of every galaxy. In the long run, every star will eventually be swallowed.

Impenitent · Feb 19, 2004, 03:23 pm

super compact matter colliding on itself until big bang...

eternal recurrence... deja vu?

shunyadragon · Feb 19, 2004, 06:11 pm

<blockquote>Quote:<hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (PeterAngelo,)
The following story got me thinking about how important can our worrying about our VALUE in the universe be when a cosmic event could eliminate us in an instant.

It makes worrying about evolution-creationism, war, human behavior, or afterlife a complete waste of time.

Party on!!

Black Hole Seen Ripping Star Apart
<hr size="1" /></blockquote>

A star like ours could not even get anywhere near a black hole on the galactic scale and still have life. The destructive interference on the formation of life supporting planets and other planets would be to much for blue, green and white marble in space.

PeterAngelo · Feb 19, 2004, 09:26 pm

It makes the nonsense on this planet seem even more nonsensical.

Zeebadee · Feb 20, 2004, 09:16 pm

Has John Ashcroft been told about this threat?

**Pooeypants** · Feb 21, 2004, 07:42 am

<blockquote>Quote:<hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (shunyadragon,)

A star like ours could not even get anywhere near a black hole on the galactic scale and still have life. The destructive interference on the formation of life supporting planets and other planets would be to much for blue, green and white marble in space.<hr size="1" /></blockquote>
Aren't we due to collide with Andromeda galaxy in a few billion years? Should be quite a spectecle.
I wonder what two stars smashing into each other looks like...

Impenitent · Feb 21, 2004, 09:31 am

it looks like jumping jack flash...

PeterAngelo · Feb 22, 2004, 05:32 am

It's a gas.

DogB · Mar 5, 2004, 01:18 am

<blockquote>Quote:<hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (PeterAngelo,)
It's a gas.<hr size="1" /></blockquote>

gas, gas!

Feb 18, 2004, 06:32 pm	#2 (permalink) (top)
tusaki Playful Location: Groningen, the Netherlands Posts: 805	I don't think you have to worry about it just yet.. this week.. maybe next week you'll have to start worrying. For now just continue debating. Hope & Dream

Feb 18, 2004, 06:36 pm	#4 (permalink) (top)
Pooeypants Neo Moderator Location: England Posts: 5,471	This is more of a science type thread...hmm. Anyway, I've known about these possibilities long ago, latest estimates show that we're thousands of light years from the nearest black hole (Cygnus X-1). Although if one did appear near this solar system there'd be bugger all we could do about it, we're not ready for vast space colonisation to escape. You should also know that a nearby supernova occurence could sterilise this planet, so could the collision between two orbiting neutron stars. Ah Space, what a nice lethal place. War is Peace Freedom is Slavery Ignorance is strength Harness the power of Ingsoc, then you can capture someone killed the year before

Feb 18, 2004, 06:40 pm	#5 (permalink) (top)
tusaki Playful Location: Groningen, the Netherlands Posts: 805	</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (PeterAngelo,) Are you sure? - people believe in invisible powers - I can believe in instant Karma - which would be a big bang that put us all out to float in space looking for a new place to land.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'> Well if it is about karma, then you should agree that karma is always proportionate, which means that we are not so bad after all :) On the other hand, if you see how many unhappy people there are in the world.. there is a looot of bad karma. But I don't think instant death will result in better karma :). I think that karma is a way to teach us, and we have to be alive to learn. Hope & Dream

Feb 18, 2004, 07:08 pm	#6 (permalink) (top)
Plaything48 Igneous Magma Location: London baby, yeah! Posts: 198	What you didn't mention is the amount of time it takes for one of those things to do its business, and for a star it's in the order of 10^6-9 years(approx. millions or billions of years). And seeing as one isn't around now, your safe. We'll all be dead in the next few thousand years anyway. A man has two reasons for doing anything --- a good reason and the real reason. Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed In spite of the cost of living, it's still popular.

Feb 18, 2004, 11:25 pm	#7 (permalink) (top)
Impenitent Hot Lava Posts: 1,859	thousand? I thought global warming was going to kill us next week "I really like this jacket, but the sleeves are much too long..." insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results...

Feb 18, 2004, 06:28 pm	#1 (permalink) (top)
PeterAngelo Igneous Magma Posts: 169	The following story got me thinking about how important can our worrying about our VALUE in the universe be when a cosmic event could eliminate us in an instant. It makes worrying about evolution-creationism, war, human behavior, or afterlife a complete waste of time. Party on!! Black Hole Seen Ripping Star Apart PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - Two space observatories have provided the first strong evidence of a supermassive black hole stretching, tearing apart and partially gobbling up a star flung into reach of its enormous gravity, astronomers said Wednesday. The event had long been predicted by theory but never confirmed. A powerful X-ray blast drew the attention of astronomers to the event, located near the center of a galaxy about 700 million light-years from Earth. The international team of astronomers believe gases from the star, heated to multimillion-degree temperatures as they fell toward the black hole near the heart of galaxy RX J1242-11, produced the blast. Astronomers said a star about the size of our sun neared the black hole after veering off course following a close encounter with another star. The tremendous gravity of the black hole, estimated to have a mass 100 million times that of our sun, then stretched the star to the point of breaking. "This is the ultimate David versus Goliath battle, but here David loses," said Gunther Hasinger, of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany. The effect is the same that the tug of the moon has on the Earth's oceans, but with much more violent results. The black hole consumed an estimated 1 percent of the doomed star, flinging the rest out into space. "This unlucky star just wandered into the wrong neighborhood," said Stefanie Komossa, also of the Max Planck Institute. Astronomers used NASA's Chandra and the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-ray observatories to capture the event. Similar events are estimated to occur just once every 10,000 years in a typical galaxy. Astronomers have seen other similar X-ray blasts before, but never were able to pinpoint them at the center of a galaxy, where black holes lurk. The new observations also revealed the characteristic X-ray signature expected of the surroundings of a black hole. The blast first was seen in 1992 and remains visible as it fades, said Chandra press scientist Peter Edmonds, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Feb 18, 2004, 06:35 pm	#3 (permalink) (top)
PeterAngelo Igneous Magma Posts: 169	Are you sure? - people believe in invisible powers - I can believe in instant Karma - which would be a big bang that put us all out to float in space looking for a new place to land.

Feb 19, 2004, 08:16 am	#8 (permalink) (top)
NotScientific Molten Ash Location: Mauritius Posts: 35	Anyway. If we get engulfed, we die. So whats the big deal. I'm Columnist here at Volconvo.com and also at BackWash.com. Check my columns in the Science forum then.

Feb 19, 2004, 08:25 am	#9 (permalink) (top)
Plaything48 Igneous Magma Location: London baby, yeah! Posts: 198	The big deal is that I havn't beaten up a clown yet, and it's on my list of things to do. No blackhole can stop me. A man has two reasons for doing anything --- a good reason and the real reason. Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed In spite of the cost of living, it's still popular.

Feb 19, 2004, 08:35 am	#10 (permalink) (top)
NotScientific Molten Ash Location: Mauritius Posts: 35	Black hole tearing this star. </span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by Astronomers have spotted a supermassive black hole in the heart of galaxy RX J1242-11 in the process of tearing a star apart and consuming it.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'> Ohhhhhhhh man! I'm Columnist here at Volconvo.com and also at BackWash.com. Check my columns in the Science forum then.

Feb 19, 2004, 11:31 am	#11 (permalink) (top)
Impenitent Hot Lava Posts: 1,859	black hole eats sun... burp at 11:00 "I really like this jacket, but the sleeves are much too long..." insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results...

Feb 19, 2004, 12:52 pm	#12 (permalink) (top)
Pooeypants Neo Moderator Location: England Posts: 5,471	There's a supermassive blackhole at the center of every galaxy. In the long run, every star will eventually be swallowed. War is Peace Freedom is Slavery Ignorance is strength Harness the power of Ingsoc, then you can capture someone killed the year before

Feb 19, 2004, 03:23 pm	#13 (permalink) (top)
Impenitent Hot Lava Posts: 1,859	super compact matter colliding on itself until big bang... eternal recurrence... deja vu? "I really like this jacket, but the sleeves are much too long..." insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results...

Feb 19, 2004, 06:11 pm	#14 (permalink) (top)
shunyadragon Hot Lava Location: Hillsborough, NC Posts: 940	</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (PeterAngelo,) The following story got me thinking about how important can our worrying about our VALUE in the universe be when a cosmic event could eliminate us in an instant. It makes worrying about evolution-creationism, war, human behavior, or afterlife a complete waste of time. Party on!! Black Hole Seen Ripping Star Apart <hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'> A star like ours could not even get anywhere near a black hole on the galactic scale and still have life. The destructive interference on the formation of life supporting planets and other planets would be to much for blue, green and white marble in space. The empty cup contains the most Frank A Doonan Turn weapons into peace and friendship with gifts of jade-silk www.shunyadragon.com I do not know, therefore I think . . .

Feb 19, 2004, 09:26 pm	#15 (permalink) (top)
PeterAngelo Igneous Magma Posts: 169	It makes the nonsense on this planet seem even more nonsensical.

Feb 20, 2004, 09:16 pm	#16 (permalink) (top)
Zeebadee Volcanic Erupter Posts: 3,701	Has John Ashcroft been told about this threat? "Everybody knows that the boat is leaking Everybody knows that the captain lied." - Leonard Cohen

Feb 21, 2004, 07:42 am	#17 (permalink) (top)
Pooeypants Neo Moderator Location: England Posts: 5,471	</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (shunyadragon,) A star like ours could not even get anywhere near a black hole on the galactic scale and still have life. The destructive interference on the formation of life supporting planets and other planets would be to much for blue, green and white marble in space.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'> Aren't we due to collide with Andromeda galaxy in a few billion years? Should be quite a spectecle. I wonder what two stars smashing into each other looks like... War is Peace Freedom is Slavery Ignorance is strength Harness the power of Ingsoc, then you can capture someone killed the year before

Feb 21, 2004, 09:31 am	#18 (permalink) (top)
Impenitent Hot Lava Posts: 1,859	it looks like jumping jack flash... "I really like this jacket, but the sleeves are much too long..." insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results...

Feb 22, 2004, 05:32 am	#19 (permalink) (top)
PeterAngelo Igneous Magma Posts: 169	It's a gas.

Mar 5, 2004, 01:18 am	#20 (permalink) (top)
DogB Sedimentary Rock Posts: 3	</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (PeterAngelo,) It's a gas.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'> gas, gas!