Exploring the Visibility of Stars in Other Galaxies
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Chapter 1: The Naked Eye and Galaxies
The inquiry often arises: Can we see stars from different galaxies with just our eyes? Recently, I received a thought-provoking question: Are all the visible stars in our night sky part of the Milky Way, or can we observe stars from other galaxies without a telescope?
To put it simply, while the stars we observe in the night sky are indeed from our galaxy, the reality is a bit more nuanced.
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Section 1.1: Understanding Galactic Visibility
Unfortunately, individual stars from other galaxies are not discernible to the naked eye. Of all the galaxies out there, only one—Andromeda—can be seen without optical assistance.
In rare circumstances, such as a supernova event in a neighboring galaxy, it might be possible to observe it from Earth. A historical example is from 1987 when a supernova erupted in the Small Magellanic Cloud (a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way), and it briefly appeared as a small star in our sky.
Source: livejournal.com Currently, the remnants of supernova SN 1987A are observable, and they can be viewed through telescopes.
Section 1.2: The Challenge of Distant Supernovae
The proximity of the Small Magellanic Cloud makes it comparatively easy to spot. Conversely, if a supernova were to occur in Andromeda, our chances of observing it without a telescope would be drastically lower, unless it were an exceptionally powerful explosion.
In more distant galaxies, supernovae or kilonova explosions, regardless of their intensity, would remain invisible to the naked eye.
Chapter 2: Further Exploration of Celestial Events
The first video titled "Can You See Other Galaxies With The Naked Eye?" delves into the visibility of celestial bodies and the factors that influence what we can see.
The second video, "Q&A 170: Can We See The Stars In Andromeda? And More..." answers common questions about the visibility of stars in other galaxies.
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