Search For Planets, Super Nova Flashlight

Hello Everyone,

I believe there was an observed supernova event last year. That was
extremely bright.

My question is this ... "Given that we know the source of the super
nova event, can we not use the light from that event to image distant
planets"

I imagine people have asked this before, so Im just curious.

This isnt my field, so this is just a philosophical question, but given
the source of this event, it must be possible to pick a few candidate
solar systems, where the light from the supernova event might bounce of
any orbiting planets, before making its way to Earth. I'm quessing we
are looking for a flash of reflect light that will last 1 second. Not
much time, and because of the speed of light, and the unknown position
of the planets orbits, it will require looking at the same star system
for an extend period.

If this is possible, I quess it would be years before we can see any
reflected planet light from the closest solar system. But if can deduce
when to look, and observe a planets reflect light ... then we would not
only know the if the closest solar system has planets, but we would
also know the exact distance to the source supernova event, and have a
possible road map of where and when to look for similar planet
reflected light in other solar systems.

Just an idea

Cheers

Steve

On 12 May 2005 20:20:04 -0700, wrote:

My question is this ... "Given that we know the source of the super
nova event, can we not use the light from that event to image distant
planets"

I imagine people have asked this before, so Im just curious.

This isnt my field, so this is just a philosophical question, but given
the source of this event, it must be possible to pick a few candidate
solar systems, where the light from the supernova event might bounce of
any orbiting planets, before making its way to Earth...

A supernova just isn't that bright. From any system other than the
supernova system, the amount of light hitting any planets will be far
less than what they are receiving from their local star. The problem
with detecting planets by direct optical methods is that their angular
distance from their star is so small from our distance, and the star is
so much brighter. The slight increase in planetary brightness from a
nearby supernova will still be lost in the glare of the parent star.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

Space is mostly empty. It's getting emptier all the time. Having a
planet between a SN and us is extremely unlikely. It is easier to just
look for planets and image them directly, as has recently been done.

wrote in message
oups.com...

Hello Everyone,

I believe there was an observed supernova event last year. That was
extremely bright.

My question is this ... "Given that we know the source of the super
nova event, can we not use the light from that event to image distant
planets"

I imagine people have asked this before, so Im just curious.

This isnt my field, so this is just a philosophical question, but given
the source of this event, it must be possible to pick a few candidate
solar systems, where the light from the supernova event might bounce of
any orbiting planets, before making its way to Earth. I'm quessing we
are looking for a flash of reflect light that will last 1 second. Not
much time, and because of the speed of light, and the unknown position
of the planets orbits, it will require looking at the same star system
for an extend period.

If this is possible, I quess it would be years before we can see any
reflected planet light from the closest solar system. But if can deduce
when to look, and observe a planets reflect light ... then we would not
only know the if the closest solar system has planets, but we would
also know the exact distance to the source supernova event, and have a
possible road map of where and when to look for similar planet
reflected light in other solar systems.

Just an idea

Cheers

Steve

Memo to self: Next time, type the message before clicking send.

If this is possible, I quess it would be years before we can see any
reflected planet light from the closest solar system. But if can deduce
when to look, and observe a planets reflect light ... then we would not
only know the if the closest solar system has planets, but we would
also know the exact distance to the source supernova event, and have a
possible road map of where and when to look for similar planet
reflected light in other solar systems.

Hi Steve,

I take it you are thinking of using the supernova like a flash attachment to
the telescope/camera? Unfortunately light diminishes as the cube of the
distance, and star systems are really far apart. So by the time it gets to
another star system with accompanying planets, it will not be very bright.
The star the planet is circling around will already be providing far more
light than the supernova will.

If you think to the known supernovas that were seen with the naked eye from
earth, even through they were brighter than other stars other than our sun,
they were still faint compared to the light of our own sun. The same would
be true for other systems as well.

BTW, the light burst from a supernova is longer than a second. If they were
only a second, we would almost never see them. Perhaps you were thinking of
gamma ray bursters?

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/

Are you interested in understanding optics?
Try http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ATM_Optics_Software/

To reply, remove Delete and change period com to period net
************************************************** ************

Thanks for the fast reply guys, Chris L Peterson, Coppy Littlehouse,
Chuck Taylor.

Pity it wont work.

I think I will just stick with geology

Unfortunately light diminishes as the cube of the
distance, and star systems are really far apart.

Normally the square of distance isn't it?

On 12 May 2005 20:20:04 -0700, wrote:

My question is this ... "Given that we know the source of the super
nova event, can we not use the light from that event to image distant
planets"

The problem with planets is that they are near stars that blot out the
planets in the glare. A nearby supernove wouldn't help that problem.

wrote:

Hello Everyone,

I believe there was an observed supernova event last year. That was
extremely bright.

My question is this ... "Given that we know the source of the super
nova event, can we not use the light from that event to image distant
planets"

I imagine people have asked this before, so Im just curious.

It won't help image distant planets, but it can illuminate any large
clouds of material (generally not too far from the SN) that happen to
get in the way between it and the Earth. Look up light echoes - HST made
some stunning images of one not long ago.

http://www.space.com/scienceastronom...ho_030326.html

Ditto for nova Cygni.

http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/AAO/images/...ns/aat066.html

Regards,
Martin Brown

wrote:
Thanks for the fast reply guys, Chris L Peterson, Coppy Littlehouse,
Chuck Taylor.

Pity it wont work.

I think I will just stick with geology

You might like this site anyway. Lots of stars blowing up out there.
http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/supernova.html

Shawn