A New Star in the Night Sky? KIC 9832227 Update 01/07/2017 and an announcement!

TL;DR

KIC 9832227, nicknamed the Boom Star, was predicted by Calvin College researchers to brighten dramatically in 2022 as its two closely orbiting stars collided and formed a larger star. Located about 1,800 light-years away in Cygnus, the system had an orbital period of only eleven hours and was expected to remain exceptionally bright for about six months. Read on for the prediction’s details, historical comparisons, and the channel’s 2017 eclipse announcement.

Transcript

You could say that I have a love affair with the night sky. Since I was a little kid, I have looked to the stars with wonder. One of my earliest memories, in fact, was seeing the night sky burning brightly in a remote Colorado sky unencumbered by any city lights. As I got older, that love affair extended to telescopes and amateur astronomy and cont... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥰 The night sky has always fascinated the writer since childhood, leading to a love for telescopes and amateur astronomy.
• 🤩 Past occurrences of new stars appearing in the sky, such as the supernova in 1054, have been recorded by various cultures.
• 🤩 The Boom Star, a binary star system in Cygnus, is forecasted to become one of the brightest objects in the sky in 2022.
• 🙂 The collision between the two suns in the Boom Star system will emit lots of light, providing us with a dazzling display.
• 🌱 The writer plans to cover the 2017 total solar eclipse on YouTube and share the experience with the audience.
• 😚 The writer hopes there are no civilizations closer to the Boom Star that might be negatively affected by its collision.
• 🤩 The predicted brightness of the Boom Star will allow us to witness the new star in real time.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was predicted to happen to KIC 9832227 in 2022?

Researchers at Calvin College predicted that KIC 9832227 would dramatically brighten in 2022 as its two stars collided and formed a new, larger star. If the prediction held, it would become one of the brightest objects in the sky for about six months.

Q: What is the Boom Star?

The Boom Star is the nickname used for KIC 9832227, a system in the constellation Cygnus. It consists of two suns orbiting extremely close to each other.

Q: How far away is KIC 9832227?

KIC 9832227 is located about 1,800 light-years away. The speaker describes that distance as relatively close in cosmic terms.

Q: Why were the two stars in KIC 9832227 expected to collide?

The two suns orbit so closely that their year lasts only eleven hours. Their orbital speed had been observed slowing down, which indicated that they were on a collision course.

Q: Would the Boom Star collision pose a danger to Earth?

According to the speaker, the collision posed no danger to Earth. Instead, it was expected to produce a spectacular bright display that observers could watch dim in real time.

Q: How long was KIC 9832227 expected to remain bright?

The star was predicted to rank among the brightest objects in the sky for about six months. It was then expected to calm down and return to its normal brightness after about two years.

Q: What historical events were compared with the Boom Star prediction?

The speaker discusses a supernova seen in Taurus in 1054, which was visible during daylight and recorded by numerous cultures. He also mentions a similar supernova observed in the southern hemisphere in 1987.

Q: What did John Michael Godier announce for August 21, 2017?

John Michael Godier announced that he would be in the path of a total solar eclipse on Monday, August 21, 2017. He planned to set up cameras and cover the eclipse on YouTube, either through a live stream or recorded footage.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Since childhood, the writer has had a love for the night sky, and now a new star is set to appear in the northern hemisphere, possibly becoming one of the brightest objects in the sky for a limited time.

• In the past, new stars appearing in the sky have been important events, such as the noticeable supernova in 1054 and the similar event in 1987.

• The Boom Star, also known as KIC 9832227, is a binary star system that is nearing a collision, resulting in a new, larger star. It is predicted to dramatically brighten in 2022 for about six months.