Astronomers have confirmed that the supernova discovered in November last year by Caroline Moore — called SN 2008ha — is a new type of stellar explosion, 1000 times more powerful than a nova but 1000 times less powerful than a supernova.

Astronomers say that it may be the weakest supernova ever seen.

Even though this explosion was a weakling compared to most supernovae, for a short time SN 2008ha was 25 million times brighter than the sun. However, since it is 70 million light years away, it appeared very faint viewed from Earth.

Caroline was able to discover the object using a relatively small telescope, but some of the most advanced teleskopes in the world were needed to determine the nature of the explosion.

The data has been verified by Magellan telescopes in Chile, the MMT telescope in Arizona, the Gemini and Keck telescopes in Hawaii, and NASA Swift satellite.

“Coincidentally, the youngest person to ever discover a supernova found one of the most peculiar and interesting supernovae ever,” said Alex Filippenko, the leader of the University of California, Berkeley supernova group. The paper in this regard is due to appear in next issue of the Astronomical Journal.

“This shows that no matter what your age, anyone can make a significant contribution to our understanding of the Universe,” Filippenko said.

The peculiar object effectively bridged the gap between a nova (a nuclear explosion on the surface of an old, compact star called a white dwarf) and a type Ia supernova (the destructive death of a white dwarf caused by a runaway nuclear reaction starting deep in the star).

SN 2008ha likely was a failed supernova where the explosion was unable to destroy the entire star.

“If a normal supernova is a nuclear bomb, then SN 2008ha is a bunker buster,” said team leader Ryan Foley, Clay fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and first author on the paper reporting the findings.

In typical supernova explosions, light from different chemical elements (such as calcium or iron) is smeared out across the electromagnetic spectrum by the Doppler effect (the same principle that makes a police siren change pitch as it passes).

Because the ejected bits of the star were “only” moving at 4.5 million miles per hour (compared to 22 million miles per hour for a typical supernova), the light was not as smeared out, allowing the team to analyse the composition of the explosion to a new precision.

One reason astronomers haven’t seen this type of explosion before might be because they are so faint. “SN 2008ha was a really wimpy explosion,” said Filippenko.

Bureau Report

NASA has been very cautious with the releasing of information like this is it has become an extreme task for me to gather any hardcore evidence on this subject. What i do know for sure is that they have been discovered, and are remaining a secret for some reason. So i then bring forth this argument.

Would it not be a great discovery for a astronomer to find a new planet? Yes, and i would also see a large press conference following the information the astrologer’s have found. Probably even a Noble Prize could even be thrown in the mix. I’m sure they would be awarded some recognition and prize of some kind for a find so great about our universe.

What i believed could have happened is that these planets were in fact discovered, and what was discovered with them was very unexpected. I believe they have found life outside our planet, and are waiting for the correct time to release the information on this. Now if life isn’t what was found then more then likely it’s been discovered that Earthly planets are not so rare. There probably were numerous earthly type planets found, which would be suitable for life.

Our telescopes are becoming more advanced every year, and as some people know they are building a new more powerful one and replacing Hubble with it. This could have a lot to do with this find. The fact of planets possibly inhabited, and or possibly suitable for life need a closer examination, and Hubble probable isn’t suitable for the job anymore.

They have already replaced the camera and a couple other things on Hubble, but in the years to come Hubble will become a drifter in space and the new telescope with give astronomers the detailed examination of these planets that they need. You can better understand how
NASA has become careful of letting out information like this by viewing the Official website, and looking up Nibiru. The planet considered to be on a destruction path with earth, and set to collide in 2012.

They released very little information on the planet on the site, but at least they are admitting it does exist.

source : www.associatedcontent.com