one supernova is just too damn bright!

[janoskiss]

This one has cosmologists and astrophysicists scratching their heads. A supernova more than twice as bright as it has been thought possible. The implications could be as far reaching as the Big Bang itself.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1745836.htm

[xelasnave]

I wonder if twice as bright means twice the energy release?
If one has been found like this is is difficult to imagine it will be the only one like this. If twice the power I wonder if this may help finding a "gravity wave" in the energy outflow. I guess they would need one closer.
I also wonder if there is any way the data could be misinterpretted because as you say if the finding is as they believe the math needs revision as to the limit.
alex

[janoskiss]

Yes, I think it would imply twice the energy.

I heard a lengthier report on the BBC (rebroadcast on ABC Newsradio), which mentioned the possibility of a coincidence of a double star system where both stars end up as supernovae at around the same time IIRC (but I prolly don't). Here is more at the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5367540.stm
- a bit over-sensationalised ("breaks laws of physics" type of talk is nonsense) but informative nonetheless.

And in Nature (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v443/n7109/edsumm/e060921-08.html). (visit your local library if you are having hassles about subscription when trying to read article)

[xelasnave]

Thanks for that. Actually I am noticing many scientific matters are being presented in a sentationalised manner, take how the "Cosmological constant" has been dealt with by many over the last 12 months for example... but yes information nevertheless.
alex

[mattweather]

Maybe next one would seen from our sky!