this post was submitted on 08 Jan 2024
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xkcd #2878: Supernova (imgs.xkcd.com)
submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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They're a little cagey about exactly where the crossover point lies relative to the likelihood of devastating effects on the planet.

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[–] [email protected] 58 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Wikipedia (Near-Earth Supernova) says that a 25 ly away supernova would wipe out half the ozone layer so that's probably the lower bound for what we want

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Geez, how many stars do we have that close to us?

[–] [email protected] 30 points 10 months ago (2 children)

None. Space is big, and stars that can potentially supernova are rare. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_supernova_candidates

[–] [email protected] 49 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Your answer is a little misleading. I think you meant there are several stars that close to us, but none that can go supernova.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago

That’s fair. It’s also a little misleading because there are other cosmic events that could happen that are both closer to us and potentially further away, and have in the past. I wouldn’t say we are immune from the hazards of space but my comment could have been construed that way.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

That's disappointing

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)