Ten year old finds supernova?

[evelrod]

I'm amazed that there is any place left in North America where one can even see a supernova. Hell, the damn moon could explode over Socal and I couldn't see it!

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/01/04...rnova-wraps-up-a-in-any-future-science-class/

Phenomenal, to say the least.

Rod

 

[btrueblood]

Erm. They interviewed the young lady on NPR last night, and yes she sounds like a bright young kid. But from what she said, or at least implied, I think her Dad's friend found it, or at least bought the scope and took the images, and she may or may not have participated in writing the computer algorithm that did the search of the digital images to find it.

 

[IRstuff]

The original article states that the discovery is credited to all 3 people involved, but that the girl was the one who actually found the supernova:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technol...er+supernova/4055568/story.html#ixzz1A55Zg7gW

TTFN

FAQ731-376
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[btrueblood]

In the interview, she said the computer software that Gray had written sifted through the many megabytes of image files to find possible candidates. She sorted thru those to find the possible nova, and Dad+Gray helped her confirm it. Still cool, and a neat activity for a 12 year old, but not the rocket scientist the press wants to make her out to be.

 

[IRstuff]

How did she suddenly gain two years in age? ;-)

Anyways, her father had discovered 6 other supernovae, so it runs in the family.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[VEBill]

The observatory in question is reportedly about 23 km outside Halifax. Given the typical weather in Nova Scotia, it's surprising that they see anything other than the undersides of clouds.