back to article SPLAT! STAR THWACKED, GUTS flung into space at 15 per cent of LIGHTSPEED

In perhaps the most violent punch that has ever been witnessed by humanity, a speeding pulsar has smashed right through a disk of matter bulging from the middle of a hefty star and blown a massive chunk of it guts into interstellar space at a significant fraction of light speed. That's according to top space boffins peering …

  1. Camilla Smythe

    Ooooh Bugger.

    Looks folks, best we not direct a blast of Web-O-Rhea in the direction of such objects. Someone/Something might decide to hitch a ride.

    1. Blank-Reg
      Mushroom

      Re: Ooooh Bugger.

      Maybe this was the response to another race's attempt at Web-O-Rhea? If so, we're doomed...

  2. Uffish

    "the pulsar’s wind"

    Don't get near a pulsar after a Friday curry.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. Fungus Bob
        Coat

        Re: "the pulsar’s wind"

        Perhaps, but it can't hold a candle to Captain Windypants!

  3. Dabooka

    Disappointed

    I saw the tag line and thought George Michael has battered someone with a BlackBerry or something

    1. Little Mouse

      Re: Disappointed

      +1 for George Michael - but how old is he now? He must be in his fifties.

      The reported speed of the "spatter matter" was the giveaway.

      It may have shot out like it had just left a fireman's hose when he was in his twenties, but these days it's probably more akin to a dripping tap....

      1. frank ly

        @Little Mouse Re: Disappointed

        I have a vivid imagination and you just ruined my lunch.

        Yours Truly, more in sorrow than anger, etc.

      2. VinceH
        Facepalm

        Re: Disappointed

        "+1 for George Michael - but how old is he now? He must be in his fifties."

        Don't be ridiculous. He's only about five or six years older than me, so how can he b...

        Oh.

        Wait.

        Carry on.

        1. Little Mouse

          Re: Disappointed

          Headline has now mysteriously changed from "WHAM! STAR.." to "SPLAT! STAR..", rendering the above comments unfathomable.

          Did George or Andrew threaten to sue?

          1. Red Bren
            Pint

            Re: Disappointed

            Thanks for the explanation. I knew I hadn't drunk enough for the comments to not make sense...

          2. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

            Re: Disappointed

            Headline has now mysteriously changed

            Such things often happen in the Regoverse. It has to do with click.through rates, maybe?

  4. Elmer Phud

    Hoist the sails me lads!

    15% of the speed of light, shame to waste those winds

    1. Hollerith 1

      Re: Hoist the sails me lads!

      Set our course to the first star past morning!

    2. mhenriday
      Boffin

      Re: Hoist the sails me lads!

      Actually, according to the referenced article, about half that speed : «... The comparison with two previous observations shows that its luminosity has been steadily decreasing, and its average projected velocity was v⊥ ≈ 0.07c during 780 days covered by the observations.» Still, not half bad.... ;-)

      Henri

  5. Darth Eejit
    Mushroom

    Birth of a lightsabre

    That pic looks like the orgin of Mace Windu's lighsabre! So cool if it were!!

  6. ravenviz Silver badge
    Devil

    The Universe

    A very violent place!

    1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: The Universe

      Over time, it'll get more violent in that star system.

      The pulsar's orbit will decay, in part from tidal forces, in part from passing through that disk of matter.

      Then, things will get loud.

  7. Hollerith 1

    Had an encounter like that at Sainsburys

    Chap could not control his trolley. Must have bashed me at the end of every aisle. I started to feel hunted.

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      Paris Hilton

      Re: Had an encounter like that at Sainsburys

      Getting assblasted by a trolley coming in at 15% lightspeed is bound to ruin your crackday.

      1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
        Devil

        Re: Had an encounter like that at Sainsburys

        Unexpected item in the bagging area!

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