This is an interesting one to look out for in the coming year(s):
Hold on to Your Butts, This Binary Star Is About to Explode
A model for predicting exactly when a binary star will merge and explode has a literal one-in-a-million chance of being accurate — it’s never been done before. But Calvin College professor Larry Molnar and his colleagues...
By Professor
Mjölnir's theory, it is set to go 'splodey sometime next year. Approximately in the constellation Cygnus; and if it goes will be big Wampum. You can Trust the Science, hear?
KIC 9832227: Using Vulcan Data to Negate the 2022 Red Nova Merger Prediction...Abstract
KIC 9832227 is a contact binary whose 11 hr orbital period is rapidly changing. Based on the apparent exponential decay of its period, the two stars were predicted to merge in early 2022 resulting in a rare red nova outburst. Fortunately KIC 9832227 was observed in 2003 as part of the NASA Ames pre-Kepler Vulcan Project to search for transiting exoplanets. We find that the Vulcan timing measurement does not agree with the previous exponential decay model...
It seems that you can trust whatever Science you prefer in this instance, luckily Astrophysical Dynamics are really complex (
not like the dynamics of treating the common cold with mRNA which is kindergarten stuff) so there is plenty of room for all sorts of opinions, predictions, random guesses &c...
Settle down, fellow
Scientists!
Two stars will NOT merge and explode into red fury in 2022
...It's time to face a hard truth. Good science is mostly about meticulously testing informed predictions. And, sadly, these predictions often fall flat...
Clearly, a veritable
consensus has been Scientifically arrived at that will stand forever irrespective of
what actually happens. You can take that to the bank!
On that note, I am taking side-bets on whether or not the Earth will survive the next year. PM me for the latest line with your PayPal information.
For those of you that are illiterate, hear:
Above are no fewer than
two vidya arguments from both sides, they are both dated (
see vidya descriptions for deets)!
Bonne année, mes amis!
