What single astronomical event would you like to see before you Died

[Mick UK]

Perhaps a large asteroid crashing into our moon visible enough to see with the naked eye?

Betelgeuse going supernova?

A large asteroid grazing through the earths upper atmosphere??

For me, i'd die a happy man if an Alien life form came to Earth and video footage from the aliens planet was broadcast on TV so we could all see what life and the living conditions were like on another habitable  planet.

Would there be trees, rivers, housing etc, what forms of transport would have evolved on that planet and if they were similar to here on Earth using the combustion engine etc.

Would they have suffered wars like we have on earth? would they in fact even possess weapons of destruction?

Would they have a moon or moons in orbit around their planet?, the list is endless and the thought of seeing all this played out on TV for the whole world to see is probably the greatest thing i'd like to witness in my whole life and not just in an astronomical sense.

How i pray for that day to arrive!!

[ronin]

Betelgeuese going BANG.

[jake_wright]

For me it would be seeing Alien life. Just to see proof they exsist will be enough, there is far too much space and too many galaxies for us to be the only source of life in the universe.

[Space Dragon]

A night without clouds would be enough for me at the moment........

Not sure that qualifies as an astronomical event but it would be quite a thing.

A visitation of some kind, malevolant or benign, would certainly change the way humanity views itself and behaves on this planet.

[Astro Imp]

A night without clouds would be enough for me at the moment.

You beat me to it.

But seriously a supernova in our galaxy would be awesome.

[HumptyMoo]

Same as Mr. ronin's choice, that would be spectacular! 

[estwing]

Yep agree with ronin

[Pig]

It depends, if the question means I will live until I have seen this event then the natural death of our Sun would be my choice, hence I will live for quite a long time yet.

If not and the question simply sometime before I die, a spectacular comet passing close by that will not cause any damage to the earth would be brilliant.

[Lee M]

Well, visit the Restaurant at the End of the Universe of course.

But in more practical terms I'd love to see a really epic daytime visible comet.

Spectacular and without the risk of gamma ray bursts and the like from a supernova.

[Luke]

I would like to know that ET is out there.

[petergc]

To see Our Milky Way collide with Andromeda galaxy.

[Pig]

I would like to know that ET is out there.

That's a good idea

[HumptyMoo]

That's a good idea

Unless it shows up with a speak & spell and umbrella...

[Stevp]

A marginally more realistic thing, i think, would be some massive solar storm that gave us awesome auroras over the uk.......on a clear night

[davedownsouth]

If it is before I die, it would have to be all eight planets aligning, as apparently it will not happen until 6th May 2492, so I would still like to be alive and stargazing then 

[Davey-T]

Betelgeuese going BANG.

Imagine the chaos from people claiming to be discoverers "me, me, me I saw it first"

Dave

[DaveS]

I think a nearby (But safe distance) supernova would do nicely. Watching the Milky Way and Andromeda collide would be a long drawn out affair.

OTOH a local supernova would guarantee cloud cover for the duration.

[rowan46]

A night without clouds would be enough for me at the moment........

Not sure that qualifies as an astronomical event but it would be quite a thing.

I think the way things have been going, the chances of that happening are astronomical

[Mick UK]

I think for me, if it wasnt to be my choice in my opening post then i think i'd like to see an asteroid smashing into our moon that could be easily seen with the naked eye on Earth so it would look awesome through a telescope or capturing it happening with a telescope and a  webcam etc.

Been able to replay the event over the years would give it that extra touch of specialness.

[Laurie61]

A proper meteor storm would be nice, on a warm, clear, autumn night

 

[rory]

See the footage of humans stepping on to mars .

On the supernova front , are we overdue one in the Milky Way ?

[laser_jock99]

Betelgeuese going BANG.

Might be a bit too close for comfort. There is a theory that supernovea have a nasty habit of sterilizing vast areas of the galaxy every time they go bang. Who knows how many civilisations have  been wiped out in the universe by being too close to one?

[JamesF]

At the moment, seeing a single astronomical event would be quite something.

James

[Myopicus]

I'm with Lee M.

Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Failing that, the Big Bang would be a pretty cool spectacle.

@ Mick UK -  That also rocks, briefly.

[DeepThought]

A huge comet entering our atmosphere.

Or did you not mean "immediately" before I die?

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