Friday: Astronomy Term of the Week

Champagne Supernova
- noun

Now that I have successfully lodged a catchy brit pop melody in your head for the next day or two, I'll inform you what the term means to those interested in astronomy.So, quick overview. A 1a type supernova is one that results from a white dwarf star (small, white, extremely dense). When a white dwarf star is stable, it fights off gravitational collapse because it supported by something called electron degeneracy pressure. Basically it is squeezed so tightly, the only reason it doesn't collapse is because two subatomic particles can't occupy the same quantum space. However, when a white dwarf star exceeds 1.4 times the mass of the sun, the uncertainty principle fails and the quantum space is compromised and the dwarf explodes into a supernova and finally becomes a black hole! Generally, the extra mass added to the white dwarf has been borrowed from a nearby neighbor; the matter is pulled in and builds up until it reaches 1.4 solar masses.

The Champagne Supernova shook up astronomy because in this particular white dwarf supernova, the object reached over 2 solar masses before going supernova. I mean, this happens all the time. Every couple of years modern science is shaken to the core of its being.

I believe the french observed the phenomena. Why they named "SN 2003fg" after a british band I'm not sure of. Don't they hate each other? The Champagne Supernova was an important discovery because it cast doubt on whether type 1a supernova's could be used as standard candles. Before C.H, scientists believed that all 1a supernova's behaved the same way and gave off a standard luminosity. So if you see an object and can't tell how far away it is, but a 1a supernova is nearby, the problem is solved. You know the luminosity so you can deduce the objects distance from Earth. And yes, Oasis can up with the name first.

I'm not sure how this played out, but I can guarantee a lot of things have changed. There is much more to read about if you're interested. Like they said to me when I toured that cave in Utah, I'm only a guest on your journey.