Happy Birthday to Supernova 1987A!!

This greatest of events was first observed from Earth 20 years ago in 1987. Considering that it occurred approximately 160,000 light years away(therefore about 160,000 years ago), it's probably safe to say that the star is no longer there. A supernova is an explosion of a star much larger than our sun. When Supernova 1987A was noticed on Earth, it was so bright that people living south of Mexico City could see it in the night sky without a telescope. How, you might ask, can you find out more about such incredible stuff? Check out Karen Taschek's new book, Death Stars, Weird Galaxies, and a Quasar-Spangled Universe (522 TAS). If you want to stick closer to home, take a look at Loree Griffin Burns' Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion (551.46 BUR). It tells the story of how oceanographers like Curt Ebbesmeyer follow sneakers, rubber duckies, LEGOs, and even computer monitors that have fallen off cargo ships to discover more about ocean currents. If you want a more concrete example of how science affects our lives, Peter Lourie's new book, Arctic Thaw: The People of the Whale in a Changing Climate (305.897 LOU), is a look at the impact of global warming on the lives of Inupiak Eskimos in northern Alaska. Finally, be sure to put it all together with Art Sussman's Dr. Art's Guide to Science (500 SUS).