Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#1

Post by dnetesn » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 10:31 AM UTC

Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
phys.org

Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#2

Post by a_t48 » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 10:53 AM UTC

Does 3.5M years ago count as “not long ago” in astronomy time scales?

Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#3

Post by nerdponx » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 10:54 AM UTC

They said the flare lasted 300,000 years, but how quickly does something like this start? How fast does it go from "nothing" to "full strength"?

Also if there was any form of life orbiting a star in the path of this flair, is it safe to assume that said life is no longer alive? At least if that life resembles us in its tolerance (or lack thereof) for radiation.

Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#4

Post by quickthrower2 » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 10:56 AM UTC

a_t48 wrote: post #2

Does 3.5M years ago count as “not long ago” in astronomy time scales?

According to the article, yes.

Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#5

Post by Aardwolf » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 10:56 AM UTC

a_t48 wrote: post #2

Does 3.5M years ago count as “not long ago” in astronomy time scales?

I would say so, it's even short on Earth time scale.

Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#6

Post by atoav » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 10:56 AM UTC

a_t48 wrote: post #2

Does 3.5M years ago count as “not long ago” in astronomy time scales?

I think 3.5M years aren’t even that long ago in geological time scales.

Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#7

Post by rbanffy » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 10:57 AM UTC

I guess that's why we won't be hearing radio signals from the Magellanic clouds...

Now, seriously, what would be a safe distance for an Earth like planet to be from such an unlucky event?

Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#8

Post by kozak » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 10:58 AM UTC

a_t48 wrote: post #2

Does 3.5M years ago count as “not long ago” in astronomy time scales?

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_evolutionary_h..., that's when "Blue whales grew to their modern sizes". So it's fairly recent not just in astronomy scales.

Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#9

Post by rbanffy » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 10:59 AM UTC

a_t48 wrote: post #2

Does 3.5M years ago count as “not long ago” in astronomy time scales?

In cosmological terms, it's more like "earlier today". Our ancestors were already walking around, talking to black monoliths and crushing skulls by then.

Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

#10

Post by leemailll » Mon, Oct 07, 2019, 11:02 AM UTC

So for laymen as us, how far is the center from us in light years?