Friday, January 21, 2011

It's got nothing to do with Jersey City per se, but it's simply too cool for school

What will YOU do when planet Earth gets a second sun? Now you may be thinking Johnny's had one too many drinks or watched Star Wars one too many times. In fact you might want to not act surprised if sometime in the next couple years the sky DOES appear to have two suns and that it never gets dark at night. What could cause this celestial chaos you ask? Just nature and space being nature and space. The second largest star in the Orion constellation, Betelgeuse is getting ready to explode.

The common stargazer can easily locate Betelgeuse without much trouble. Simply look to the top of the constellation Orion and look to the top corner. See the really bright reddish star? That's Betelgeuse. And it's getting ready to super-nova possibly as early as next year (Technically of course it could happen at ANY time, as soon as Betelgeuse runs out of it's own fuel and starts to collapse upon itself -- and yes more than likely starting a black hole when it does).

So what would the results be here on Earth? Well you might just see two suns for a few weeks, even in the daytime you'd be able to see Betelgeuse explode. Night wouldn't really get to be night with this giant exploding (and or collapsing in on itself which again means giant space show) into space. Don't worry though, scientists from the Jersey City Desk Observatory tell the Jersey City Desk mankind will not be wiped out by this occurrence and that earthlings should enjoy the show.

Wanna learn more on this crazy once in a lifetime light show? You can click here.

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