<p>I queried the <a href="https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/728631/do-supernovas-vaporize-the-local-space-rocks-10-pluto-distances-away?noredirect=1#comment1629567_728631">phys</a> forum for some maths, and found evidence from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_1987A" rel="nofollow noreferrer">1987A supernova</a>.</p>
<p>Some studies suggest that the material at 1-2ly from the supernova is at <a href="https://www.livescience.com/64651-temperature-in-supernova-heat-shock.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">millions of degrees</a>, some studies suggest that it's <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/ISO-LWS-spectrum-of-SN-1987A-on-day-3999-The-continuum-up-to-140m-can-be-fitted-with-a_fig2_2234957" rel="nofollow noreferrer">colder</a>. I want to see images of SN 1987A through JWST.</p>
<p>The rocks would definitely travel outwards very fast, and they would receive so much light that they would heat to at least 8000K, and therefore become ionised elements.</p>
<p>Radioactive iron, nickel, titanium and other elements with half-lives of 1-50 years also cause a lot of radiation which continue to add thermal energy to the explosion. At 300AU, an 8kg rock would be impacted by 1-3kg of radioactive matter at nearly the speed of light, made of radioactive decaying isotopes, and enough light to vaporize it.</p>
<p>If supernova did act as a vector to send rocks throughout the galaxy, then some kind of matter would have to keep kinetic energy without turning to dust, which seems unlikely.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/sofia-finds-dust-survives-obliteration-in-supernova-1987a" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.nasa.gov/feature/sofia-finds-dust-survives-obliteration-in-supernova-1987a</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEB&amp;search_query=supernova+1987A+simulation" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEB&amp;search_query=supernova+1987A+simulation</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-23T13:41:19.133Z
2022-09-23T13:46:21.340Z
2022-09-23T13:46:21.340Z
bandybabboon
<p>If there's DNA life that arises on a warm planet 2 billion years after the big bang, and meteorite collisions on the planet propagate DNA unicellular organisms into millions of icy rocks orbiting the star until it goes into supernova mode...</p>
<p>When a supernova happens does it accelerate millions of rocks into a collision course with nearly all the cloud formations and star systems of the galaxy? Would the rocks vaporize and have a limited dispersion?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-19T15:19:31.600Z
Can I ask why you think a supernova accelerates rocks? Worth reading up on just how little will remain of any planet that could support life well before a star goes supernova
Rory Alsop
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-19T15:23:43.447Z
Because a supernova can accelerate nearby stars away, so perhaps it only fries local rocks and can accelerate rocks from nearby solar systems radially?
bandybabboon
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-20T08:05:48.437Z
How does a supernova accelerate other stars? That's a claim I don't subscribe to having significant influence without explanation and at least ball park numbers to justify. It will matter for multiple systems, but mostly because of the sudden mass change of one of the partners
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-23T12:48:00.233Z
The supernova would have completely vaporized any form of life lol
Max0815
<galaxy><milky-way><supernova><comets><meteorite>
If a supernova explodes all it's comets into space, can they reach a big number of star systems?
bandybabboon
# If a supernova explodes all it's comets into space, can they reach a big number of star systems?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-09-19)

If there's DNA life that arises on a warm planet 2 billion years after the big bang, and meteorite collisions on the planet propagate DNA unicellular organisms into millions of icy rocks orbiting the star until it goes into supernova mode...

When a supernova happens does it accelerate millions of rocks into a collision course with nearly all the cloud formations and star systems of the galaxy? Would the rocks vaporize and have a limited dispersion?

**Tags:** galaxy, milky-way, supernova, comets, meteorite

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can I ask why you think a supernova accelerates rocks? Worth reading up on just how little will remain of any planet that could support life well before a star goes supernova  
> **username_0**: Because a supernova can accelerate nearby stars away, so perhaps it only fries local rocks and can accelerate rocks from nearby solar systems radially?  
> **username_2**: How does a supernova accelerate other stars? That's a claim I don't subscribe to having significant influence without explanation and at least ball park numbers to justify. It will matter for multiple systems, but mostly because of the sudden mass change of one of the partners  
> **username_3**: The supernova would have completely vaporized any form of life lol  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2022-09-23. Score: 2

I queried the [phys](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/728631/do-supernovas-vaporize-the-local-space-rocks-10-pluto-distances-away?noredirect=1#comment1629567_728631) forum for some maths, and found evidence from the [1987A supernova](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_1987A).

Some studies suggest that the material at 1-2ly from the supernova is at [millions of degrees](https://www.livescience.com/64651-temperature-in-supernova-heat-shock.html), some studies suggest that it's [colder](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/ISO-LWS-spectrum-of-SN-1987A-on-day-3999-The-continuum-up-to-140m-can-be-fitted-with-a_fig2_2234957). I want to see images of SN 1987A through JWST.

The rocks would definitely travel outwards very fast, and they would receive so much light that they would heat to at least 8000K, and therefore become ionised elements.

Radioactive iron, nickel, titanium and other elements with half-lives of 1-50 years also cause a lot of radiation which continue to add thermal energy to the explosion. At 300AU, an 8kg rock would be impacted by 1-3kg of radioactive matter at nearly the speed of light, made of radioactive decaying isotopes, and enough light to vaporize it.

If supernova did act as a vector to send rocks throughout the galaxy, then some kind of matter would have to keep kinetic energy without turning to dust, which seems unlikely.

<https://www.nasa.gov/feature/sofia-finds-dust-survives-obliteration-in-supernova-1987a>

<https://www.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEB&search_query=supernova+1987A+simulation>


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