Are there any stars close to Earth with the potential to supernova?

Answer 1

There are no stars which have the potential to supernova near enough to Earth to cause damage.

The gamma rays from a supernova that occurs within a few tens of light years of Earth can destroy the ozone layer and significantly raise radiation levels.

There are a number of stars that have been designated as potential supernovae, but the closest one is IK Pegasi, which is 150 light years away.

About 8.6 light years from Earth, the binary system known as Sirius A and B is made up of a main sequence star called Sirius A and a white dwarf star called Sirius B. If Sirius B gathers enough material from Sirius A to reach the Chandrasekhar limit of 1.4 solar masses, which will cause it to collapse into a neutron star, it will be able to supernova. At the moment, Sirius A and B are too far apart for this to happen.

Therefore, the only scenarios in which a supernova could occur near enough to cause damage are the occurrence of a supernova candidate star system within range or the closer movement of Sirius A and B during Sirius A's red giant phase, neither of which is expected to occur for millions of years.

Sign up to view the whole answer

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Sign up with email
Answer 2

The Sun and other nearest stars are too massive to experience supernova events, and no known star near Earth has the potential to go supernova in the near future.

Sign up to view the whole answer

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Sign up with email
Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

Not the question you need?

Drag image here or click to upload

Or press Ctrl + V to paste
Answer Background
HIX Tutor
Solve ANY homework problem with a smart AI
  • 98% accuracy study help
  • Covers math, physics, chemistry, biology, and more
  • Step-by-step, in-depth guides
  • Readily available 24/7