Identity As Cassiopeia A Supernova
3 Cas. was initially thought to be erroneous and indeed in 1875, Baily's catalogue derived from Flamsteed's utterly omits 3 Cas. This was the prevalent opinion until radioastronomy. Cassiopeia A, the brightest radio source in the constellation, is within ten minutes of arc of Flamsteed's position for 3 Cas. Study of Cas. A has shown it to be approximately 300 years old, meaning that Flamsteed may have observed the supernova. Dimmed by intervening dust and gas (the plane of the Milky Way runs through Cassiopeia), the supernova would have appeared at about magnitude six, tying in nicely with Flamsteed's observation of 3 Cas.
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“Motion or change, and identity or rest, are the first and second secrets of nature: Motion and Rest. The whole code of her laws may be written on the thumbnail, or the signet of a ring.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)