How far would the effects of a supernova be felt?

Question

Would it be like 2 light years or 10 light years or 100 light years.What is the range of its distructive force.Are some supernova exsplosions bigger than others.

Answer 1

you don't really need to worry about the super nova it's self... the only way we're at danger of being blown up by a super nova would be if the sun exploded itself and that just can't happen, the sun isn't big enough.

you need to worry about the gamma ray.... when stars go super nova they send off a HUGE burst of energy/light at their poles.... if one of these poles were directed at earth, even hundreds of light years away, it would be CATASTROPHIC.... someone standing out side would be melted instantly. our ozone would be completely erased, and within the next few days-weeks, every living organsim on earth would die...

the scary thing is, even when/if it does happen, there will be absolutely no warning... becuase gamma ray bursts travel at the speed of light, by the time the light got to us that showed the star exploded, the gamma ray burst would hit us simultaneously......

Answer 2

A supernova is probably safe outside of about 100 light years or so, unless its pole is pointed at earth.  In that case, it may also become a gamma ray burster and fry the earth even if it's thousands of light years away.  The odds of that are slim, however, especially the farther away it is, since it fires it like a laser.  There are no candidates for supernova within 100 light years, but there is a possible gamma ray burster 8,000 light years away with its pole pointed at or near the earth.  Google search WR-104 for more info.