Astrophysicist finds real location for Superman's home planet

[Hum]

A prominent astrophysicist has pinned down a real location for Superman's fictional home planet of Krypton.

Krypton is found 27.1 light-years from Earth, in the southern constellation Corvus (The Crow), says Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium in New York City. The planet orbits the red dwarf star LHS 2520, which is cooler and smaller than our sun.

Tyson performed the celestial sleuthing at the request of DC Comics, which wanted to run a story about Superman's search for his home planet.

The new book ? Action Comics Superman #14, titled "Star Light, Star Bright" ? comes out Wednesday (Nov. 7). Tyson appears within its pages, aiding the Man of Steel on his quest.

"As a native of Metropolis, I was delighted to help Superman, who has done so much for my city over all these years," Tyson said in a statement. "And it?s clear that if he weren?t a superhero he would have made quite an astrophysicist."

You'll have to read "Star Light, Star Bright" to find out just how Superman and Tyson pinpoint Krypton. For amateur astronomers who want to spot the real star LHS 2520 in the night sky, here are its coordinates:

Right Ascension: 12 hours 10 minutes 5.77 seconds

Declination: -15 degrees 4 minutes 17.9 seconds

Proper Motion: 0.76 arcseconds per year, along 172.94 degrees from due north

Superman was born on Krytpon but was launched toward Earth as an infant by his father, Jor-El, just before the planet's destruction. After touching down in Kansas, Superman was raised as Clark Kent by a farmer and his wife.

Now Superman will apparently know exactly where he came from.

"This is a major milestone in the Superman mythos that gives our super hero a place in the universe," DC Entertainment co-publisher Dan DiDio said in a statement. "Having Neil deGrasse Tyson in the book was one thing, but by applying real-world science to this story he has forever changed Superman?s place in history. Now fans will be able to look up at the night?s sky and say, 'That?s where Superman was born.'"

source

[Growled Member]

Someone takes comics a little too seriously.

[xendrome]

Ok so if Krypton was destroyed, and Superman was launched from it just before then... and the planet is only 27.1 light years from earth... then someone didn't think this through very well... uber-nerds and comic people are the first ones I wouldn't try to place this story in front of..

[Arceles]

Some of us actually grow up from them, what would you expect? what would be I withouth rurouni kenshin or rozen maiden? :D

[Hum]

I thought Krypton was in another galaxy ... oh well.

[The King of GnG]

Well, I was about to dismiss the news as worthless until I read the name "Neil deGrasse Tyson". Now I think I should buy that comic, even if I don't usually purchase Superman (or DC) comics, that's it.

[Asrokhel]

I thought Krypton was in another galaxy ... oh well.

Well, according to the 1978 movie it is, because you see his travel from Krypton.

Although, I liked the comic that had Earth eventually turn into Krypton in the future with the sun being a red dwarf, and that Kal-El was actually sent back in time.

[zhangm Supervisor]

Ok so if Krypton was destroyed, and Superman was launched from it just before then... and the planet is only 27.1 light years from earth... then someone didn't think this through very well...

Those are the coordinates for the parent star, not the supposed planet. If you go searching for the planet, you probably won't find it.

[Praetor]

Those are the coordinates for the parent star, not the supposed planet. If you go searching for the planet, you probably won't find it.

because it was destroyed! :laugh:

[Hum]

Kal-El is 'super' because his body has much greater density than ordinary humans.

And such Realities do exist in the Universe.

But his alien-ness would be revealed when he stepped on a scale -- his weight would be much greater than us. ;)

[Krome]

HUM, I thought I see Superman flying out of that signature of yours.

[Asrokhel]

HUM, I thought I see Superman flying out of that signature of yours.

Don't give him ideas!

[Glassed Silver]

Someone takes comics a little too seriously.

Are you mad?

You can't take comics too seriously. :|

Now, I'm not much of a Superman fan, but damn... comics, manga and the other things often mistaken as child stuff deserve to be taken seriously 24/7.

Well, I was about to dismiss the news as worthless until I read the name "Neil deGrasse Tyson". Now I think I should buy that comic, even if I don't usually purchase Superman (or DC) comics, that's it.

Yeah, same here.

I don't give a flying cr...carpet about Superman, but this might be interesting to have.

If not just for the specialty factor.

Probably a good item to have in any comic collection a couple of years down the road.

Glassed Silver:mac