Sedalia Dave Posted June 30, 2025 Posted June 30, 2025 "EXTREMELY RARE"--TWO NAKED-EYE NOVA: A person could go a lifetime without seeing a star explode with their own eyes. Right now, people in the southern hemisphere can see two stars exploding at the same time. The first (V462 Lupi) appeared on June 12th in the constellation Lupus, and the second (V572 Velorum) on June 25th in Vela. They're both brighter than 6th magnitude, the threshold for naked-eye visibility. "This is without question an extremely rare event, if not an historical one," says astronomer Stephen O’Meara, who has been scouring historical records for the last time this happened. "I have yet to find an occurrence of two simultaneous nova appearing at the same time." "I thought I had found a pair in 1936 (V630 Sgr and V368 Aql)," he says. "But I looked at their light curves, and it turns out they were not at maximum brightness at the same time." These appear to be classical novas. First documented by Chinese astronomers some 2000 years ago, the explosions occur in binary star systems. White dwarf stars steal gas from a bloated partner until the stolen fuel ignites in a sudden thermonuclear blast. It's less dramatic than a supernova, but still an awesome blast. Nova V462 Lupi is currently near magnitude +5.9, while V572 Velorum, fading from a peak near +4.8, is the brighter of the two. Southern astronomers, this may not happen again for a loooong time. https://www.spaceweather.com/ 1 4 Quote
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted June 30, 2025 Posted June 30, 2025 I'm too busy staring at Venus from about 3am-ish ...... 1 Quote
Pat Riot Posted June 30, 2025 Posted June 30, 2025 At first I thought “Just great! Every night has been cloudy for weeks and I am missing this…” then I realized I saw the words “Southern Hemisphere”. More info https://earthsky.org/tonight/nova-or-new-star-visible-in-vela/ 1 1 Quote
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted June 30, 2025 Posted June 30, 2025 17 minutes ago, Pat Riot said: At first I thought “Just great! Every night has been cloudy for weeks and I am missing this…” then I realized I saw the words “Southern Hemisphere”. More info https://earthsky.org/tonight/nova-or-new-star-visible-in-vela/ ...... c'mon down, ...... it's not cloudy every night. ......... but it is on lots of them ... 1 Quote
Calico Jack Posted June 30, 2025 Posted June 30, 2025 28 minutes ago, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said: ...... c'mon down, ...... it's not cloudy every night. ......... but it is on lots of them ... But can we cull camels? I want the full experience. Quote
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted June 30, 2025 Posted June 30, 2025 Down here we use 2 bricks and slap them together; doesn't hurt unless you catch your thumb in between .......... .............. oh you said "cull" ........ <blush> 🙃 1 Quote
watab kid Posted July 1, 2025 Posted July 1, 2025 thanks , dont often think of the sky above less its raining water or sunshine - both of which can be unpleasant Quote
Cactus Jack Calder Posted July 4, 2025 Posted July 4, 2025 (edited) On 6/30/2025 at 7:44 PM, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said: Down here we use 2 bricks and slap them together; doesn't hurt unless you catch your thumb in between .......... .............. oh you said "cull" ........ <blush> 🙃 I was told, that is how you get a 6 day Camel to last 7 days. Clap them on the hangy down part as they are drinking and they suck up the extra water. CJ Edited July 4, 2025 by Cactus Jack Calder Otto 1 Quote
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