“Sunspot groups 1024 developed over the 4th of July weekend, and while it did not create any historically spectacular fireworks, it has been kicking up modest solar flares. Credit: SOHO/MDI ”

See :

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090706-sunspot-activity.html

for the rest of the story …

No supernova, novae or comet tho’ .. Sigh.

I spent the evening of the 4th sending up several home made “sky lanterns” (.5 mil can bags with a bit of floral wire, and heated with a cardboard wedge smeared with hand sanitizer set afire… UFO reports in the Sunday morning paper:

“Strange Lights Attracted to Municipal Display”

Yes, such an event would be a boon to astronomers. Hmmm, how about a meteor shower?

I really hope you aren’t implying that Asians cannot be Americans too.

Please rest assured that I imply no such thing. The “greater portion of Asians” I referred to (who were also in on the revelry) were not American citizens at all. I am writing outside the U.S..

You’re supposed to blow out the marshmallow BEFORE eating it!

Well I was thinking a little more something brightly unaided eye visible, a nice big minus magnitude supernova, nova or comet but that’s pretty neat too!

Surprised the BA hasn’t yet posted about that here .. Mind you, having said that I’ll probably find he just has!

@ 27 RTFM! : Huh? I think you might have the wrong thread ..

I really hope you aren’t implying that Asians cannot be Americans too. It’s a bit unclear.

My girlfriend and her family are Vietnamese. Considering that they lost everything back home risked their lives to come to the US to escape a totalitarian regime, they have much more respect for the Bill of Rights than most Caucasians I know. I’m often remind of just how much I take for granted being a white male born in the US. I’ve definitely lived a privileged and sheltered life.

Happy belated 4th to all in the US!

Is this what you’re looking for?

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090703-helix-nebula-fireworks.html

Now if only we could get a supernova to blow up today … Now that’d be fireworks! Maybe Deneb near the North America nebulae?

Unfortunately, while it would indeed be apt for the 4th of July, Deneb is an A2 Ia type white supergiant and thus the wrong kind of star to go supernova. *

As far as we know only red supergiants, blue supergiants, Luminous Blue Variables like Eta Carinae, Wolf-Rayet stars and white dwarfs are candidates for supernovae.

Mind you, we didn’t think blue supergiants could blow up until one did as supernova SN 1987 A so ..

I guess too we could always hope that there’s a white dwarf just at the critical limit behind or near the North America nebula that’s just about to get that one little splash of matter too much and explode tonight…Preferably before midnight and even more preferably, well, now!

———————————————————————–
* Besides it’d be a bit of a shame to lose the “Summer Triangle” of Deneb, Vega and Altair and ruin Cygnus and the “Northern Cross” asterism into the bargain. P Cygni, which is an Eta Carinae like LBV going off tonight, OTOH, now that I’d like to see!

J/P=?

Happy 4th!

I like Phil’s idea in his next post. Whatever country you live in, our Declaration of Independence is a moving document. Give it a read. It’s short.

Yes, this was undoubtedly the reason why the T.G.I. Friday’s here was packed with revellers yesterday; not only Americans/Caucasians, but also a much greater portion of Asians as well.

I like Phil’s idea in his next post. Whatever country you live in, our Declaration of Independence is a moving document. Give it a read. It’s short.

Hey, light is light.

Only within a certain range of frequencies/wavelengths… otherwise it’s EM.
(anti-EM? there’s no place like home)
J/P=?

Hey, light is light.

I’m not sure this is what Sagan had in mind when he wrote, “Science as a candle in the dark.”

But only if you know how, I hope.