So just how bright is a Supernova.

[ian_bird]

Which of the following would be brighter, in terms of the amount of energy delivered to your retina:

    A supernova, seen from as far away as the Sun is from the Earth, or

    The detonation of a hydrogen bomb pressed against your eyeball?

Applying the physicist rule of thumb suggests that the supernova is brighter. And indeed, it is ... by nine orders of magnitude.

http://what-if.xkcd.com/73/

Wow!

[OutThereSomewhere]

Thanks for posting this interesting link.

Unfortunately, the discussion shows a complete disregard for health & safety. Never ever detonate a hydrogen bomb pressed against your eyeball unless you are wearing suitable protective glasses.

[JamesF]

But if you were wearing protective glasses, how could you press the H-bomb against your eyeball?

Oh!  I am stupid sometimes.  You put the glasses on after the H-bomb, so no-one else gets hurt.  Of course.  It's all so obvious now.

James

[Tiny Small]

Thanks for posting this interesting link.

Unfortunately, the discussion shows a complete disregard for health & safety. Never ever detonate a hydrogen bomb pressed against your eyeball unless you are wearing suitable protective glasses.

I read this AFTER reading the link. Just... yes.

[Paul M]

Talking of lethal neutrino's, I wonder if the author of the linked article gave consideration to what type of supernova they have researched.

I'm no expert and I'm not sure that Type 1a Supernovae (as in the M82 SN) are huge producers of neutrinos. Isn't it the core collapse type II's that make all the neutrinos?

I just think it's important to get the science right before people go messing with nuclear bombs and supernovae.

Someone could get hurt!

[JamesF]

I just think it's important to get the science right before people go messing with nuclear bombs and supernovae.

Someone could get hurt!

That's a good point, you know.  I reckon it would be very sensible to get all the ambulance-chaser type lawyers to hang around near nuclear bombs and supernovae just in case the worst happened.

James

[bomberbaz]

That's a good point, you know.  I reckon it would be very sensible to get all the ambulance-chaser type lawyers to hang around near nuclear bombs and supernovae just in case the worst happened.

James

excellelent idea james, also send double glazing salesmen just in case nova windows become the latest rage in this tenously linked attack on anyone you want to get rid of.

this is room 101 isnt it?

[JamesF]

excellelent idea james, also send double glazing salesmen just in case nova windows become the latest rage in this tenously linked attack on anyone you want to get rid of.

this is room 101 isnt it?

I have no idea what you're talking about.  I merely had their best interests at heart.  After all, they would need to be on the spot if something went wrong.

Maybe

James

[DrRobin]

You lot want to be careful talking about hydrogen bombs, what with all the monitoring of emails and bulletin boards like this one by our own secret service and the numerous US ones. I mean they just look for words like bomb, H bomb and Hydrogen bomb and take a dim view of exploding a hydrogen bomb near your eyeball (or anyone else's eyeball for that matter) or even talking about H bombs.

Oh no, now I have added myself to the list by mentioning bomb six times already. Ah, now it is seven mentions of the word bomb, now nearly eight times. I will be top of the list now mention bomb nine times (10 mentions now).

I am off before two large men in badly fitting suits knock on my door.

Robin

PS anyone monitoring this, I don't have a hydrogen bomb (11 times now) and I haven't even seen a H bomb (12 mentions), well not this week since it has been cloudy and haven't seen the sun, which is a big H bomb really (12 mentions).

[JamesF]

I think you should be ok as long as you're not a tourist.

James

[ScottS]

You lot want to be careful talking about hydrogen bombs, what with all the monitoring of emails and bulletin boards like this one by our own secret service and the numerous US ones. I mean they just look for words like bomb, H bomb and Hydrogen bomb and take a dim view of exploding a hydrogen bomb near your eyeball (or anyone else's eyeball for that matter) or even talking about H bombs.

Oh no, now I have added myself to the list by mentioning bomb six times already. Ah, now it is seven mentions of the word bomb, now nearly eight times. I will be top of the list now mention bomb nine times (10 mentions now).

I am off before two large men in badly fitting suits knock on my door.

Robin

PS anyone monitoring this, I don't have a hydrogen bomb (11 times now) and I haven't even seen a H bomb (12 mentions), well not this week since it has been cloudy and haven't seen the sun, which is a big H bomb really (12 mentions).

24 mentions if I quote all this

[ian_bird]

You missed one. It was 13 mentions. Or 26.

We will come and visit you in Guantanamo. Honest.

Cheers

Ian

[jonathan]

You lot want to be careful talking about hydrogen bombs, what with all the monitoring of emails and bulletin boards like this one by our own secret service and the numerous US ones. I mean they just look for words like bomb, H bomb and Hydrogen bomb and take a dim view of exploding a hydrogen bomb near your eyeball (or anyone else's eyeball for that matter) or even talking about H bombs.

Oh no, now I have added myself to the list by mentioning bomb six times already. Ah, now it is seven mentions of the word bomb, now nearly eight times. I will be top of the list now mention bomb nine times (10 mentions now).

I am off before two large men in badly fitting suits knock on my door.

Robin

PS anyone monitoring this, I don't have a hydrogen bomb (11 times now) and I haven't even seen a H bomb (12 mentions), well not this week since it has been cloudy and haven't seen the sun, which is a big H bomb really (12 mentions).

That post is da bomb!

Take me away now please.

[DrRobin]

Guantanamo is at the north end of the Caribbean, wonder if they will let me take my telescopes? Knowing my luck I will get darkest Peru (apologies to anyone from Peru) with constant cloud.

Anyway if anyone asks I am giving them JamesF's address.

Robin