Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Whatthe_Firetruck

(610 posts)
2. Pfff... The 10k year figure is closer to being right.
Fri Mar 10, 2023, 12:33 AM
Mar 2023

The nova was 8k lightyears away. It would take that long for light to travel from there to where we are.

Now this light shone on earth 1800 years ago. So it would have had to happened 8k years BEFORE that to reach us then.

We (well, the Chinese) saw it 1800 years ago. The nova that caused the flash happened 8k years before the observation. 1800 + 8000 = ~10k years.

Light travels @186k miles per second. If the nova happened at around the observation date, it would have to travel the 8k ly instantaneously, an impossibility.

The idea that it was brighter or more forceful than most novas doesn't matter. The speed of light is the speed of light - a fixed constant, no matter what it's brightness or force.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Science»Ghostly scraps of oldest ...»Reply #2