Great Astronomical Events

Posted by Kelly Whitt Jan 5, 2007

There are a number of cool astronomical phenomena that may happen only once in a lifetime, if you're lucky. Let's start with the one I've already seen (and hope to see more of!).

Bright Comet - It's coming up on ten years since Comet Hale-Bopp roared into our skies. It brought a lot of new fans into astronomy, along with a few unfortunate fanatics. But the tragedy of the Heaven's Gate suicides illustrates the enthusiasm and emotion that can touch people at the deepest level when beholding such an amazing solar system sight. Although rare, a gorgeous naked-eye comet can enter our vicinity at any time, and I hope to get to see another one someday and share it with my children. (And if the comet gods are listening, someday SOON would be nice.) [Update 1/10/07: the comet gods were listening! The brightest comet in 30 years is out now, see the Comet McNaught article]

Meteor Storm - What must it have been like to be on the lifeless West Texas plains in the early morning hours of November 17, 1966? Meteors fell from the cloudless sky like rain. Rates were estimated at up to 40 meteors per second as Earth plowed through a dusty patch in space left behind by Comet Tempel-Tuttle. The Leonid meteors are usually a good shower, and very occasionally a storm, but any passing comet could leave us a gift of a torrent of meteors, if we are lucky.

Naked-Eye Supernova - This is an extremely rare phenomenon. In fact, only eight naked-eye supernovae have been recorded in all of human history. There have been other supernovae discovered, but they were discovered through scientific instruments and were not good visual targets because of their distance or because they were hidden behind dusty shrouds in our Milky Way galaxy. In 1987, a supernova occurred in a nearby galaxy, but it only brightened to 4th magnitude and could only be seen in the Southern Hemisphere. The last true naked-eye supernova was in 1604. But there are a few stars that could go supernova at any time. For more on the different types of supernova, historic supernovae, and the best candidates for a future supernova, read Exploring Supernovae.

Finding Life Beyond Earth - This would be the Big One. This is the one that could stand all of human society on its head and fundamentally change the way we look at everything in the world. At the moment, the only life we know, from complex humans to microscopic bacteria, all inhabits Earth. Finding even single-celled organisms on Titan or Mars or a comet would be the most important scientific discovery of all time. Communicating over space with an intelligent species via radio waves or interacting with higher lifeforms in a way that we have never yet imagined would certainly rewrite history books forever, and create a future for Earth that is probably unimaginable. The question of whether we are "alone" in the universe is a profound question that really asks Who are we? And, Why are we here? To know definitively whether or not the vast universe is "empty" except for us, or if it is teeming with life of a whole spectrum that we can only begin to imagine, would go along way in answering those questions, if not for humans as a group, at least for each individual who has the capability to ask.

What great astronomical event would you like to experience in your lifetime? Tell us in the forums.