Hubble Space Telescop: What the Heck is That?

Posted by Alex in Science & Tech on September 15, 2008 at 11:16 am


Here’s a reminder that we really don’t know much about the universe: the Hubble Space telescope found something that scientists couldn’t make any sense of.

The mystery object did not behave like any known kind of supernova. It is not even in any detectable galaxy. "The shape of the light curve is inconsistent with microlensing," say the researchers. They recorded three spectra of it — and its spectrum, they write, "in addition to being inconsistent with all known supernova types, is not matched to any spectrum in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database" of vast numbers of objects. "We suggest that the transient may be one of a new class."

So, what do you think it found? Link – via reddit


Previous post
this post? Please Email this               
Next post


FUN PRODUCTS FROM THE NEATORAMA SHOP:


COMMENT

20 comments to "Hubble Space Telescop: What the Heck is That?"

  1. Johnny Cat
    September 15th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

    It's a streetlight.

  2. Lasse
    September 15th, 2008 at 12:42 pm

    Alien scientists taking the piss on us by holding up a mirror.

  3. Victor Fricke
    September 15th, 2008 at 12:51 pm

    It's another planet in a galaxy far, far away that was destroyed by the Deathstar.

  4. Tom
    September 15th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

    Intergalactic dumping grounds?

    It's more likely than you think.

  5. Paul in Boca
    September 15th, 2008 at 1:22 pm

    Come on, it's Sarah Palin showing chuck Norris that SHE owns the universe.

  6. Dan0
    September 15th, 2008 at 1:55 pm

    dirt on the lens.

  7. Shish
    September 15th, 2008 at 2:04 pm

    It was an alien civilization experimenting with a proton supercollider that converted their entire solar system into strange matter.

  8. sw
    September 15th, 2008 at 2:15 pm

    WHO CARES?! how is this going to benefit mankind? spend those quadrillions on erradicating hunger here on earth!

  9. anon
    September 15th, 2008 at 2:47 pm

    I posted this comment in /. and I'll post it here what they really discovered is more funding.

    Anyone else find it 'convenient' that they discover 'something' right around the time of their 'final' service?

    /tinfoil hat

  10. ted
    September 15th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    Who cares about eradicating hunger here on earth? Spend those quadrillions on eradicating typos on Neatorama.
    Now, that will benefit mankind (and womankind, too).

  11. Geez
    September 15th, 2008 at 2:59 pm

    good! the more things they discover about the universe the better.

    and to those complaining about the money they get....it's a mere fraction of what the military gets and how exactly does the military benefit mankind? i'd rather give that money to science....

  12. anon
    September 15th, 2008 at 3:53 pm

    @Geez - Actually I don't like spending so much money on the military either. I would say that such funding is better spent on education (as in hire more teachers to make class sizes smaller), public healthcare, and energy research (solar, wind, and better transmission infrastructure). All pretty much in that order.

    I don't see the sense in deep space research unless we are actually planning to colonize space.

  13. Retrokatze
    September 15th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

    Cthulhu!!!

  14. Neslock
    September 15th, 2008 at 6:39 pm

    Very funny, Johnny Cat :)

  15. Terry
    September 15th, 2008 at 8:21 pm

    There will be a piece of information somewhere that will most likely collapse our scientific categorisation system one day.

  16. sigh
    September 15th, 2008 at 11:08 pm

    It's a planet that once had an LHC. LOL.

  17. nielo
    September 15th, 2008 at 11:42 pm

    Did they find the missing "e" from the hubble telescop?

  18. Johnny Cat
    September 15th, 2008 at 11:43 pm

    thankee sai Neslock!

  19. Retrokatze
    September 16th, 2008 at 5:46 am

    Pigeon droppings?

  20. ted
    September 16th, 2008 at 9:47 am

    No, nielo. Apparently, it's still out there.


PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT

Neatorama Comment Policy
You don't have to register or login to comment, but it's easier if you do so. Comments aren't censored, but those that are abusive or off-topic may be edited or deleted.


Stay updated on the comments with Comment RSS