Expert: Ed - 6/23/2008

Question
hi
Is this binary star, IK Pegasi (HR 8210) going to blow up in our lifetime?
Would it harm the earth at all?

Answer
Steve,

Are you the same person who just asked another AllExperts guy this question, just a couple of days ago?

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Astronomy-1360/2008/6/IK-Pegasi-HR-8210-1.htm

Philip Stahl gave a fantastic answer.  I'm not even going to try to top it.  HOWEVER, he did point out that a MUCH more important thing to worry about is global warming.  Did you know that scientists now think that the north pole could be completely free of ice THIS SUMMER?  Certainly in the next few years.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080620-north-pole.html

Many of them think that the entire Arctic icecap will be melting in the summertime by 2013... probably even earlier.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7139797.stm

Here is something to worry about, if the Arctic ice melts.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,547976,00.html

So, I would worry about that, not about IK Pegasi.  If you do want to learn about IK Pegasi, please look at Philip Stahl's answer up above, it's amazing.

Keep Looking Up,
--Ed