It is certain that Mercury and Venus, and perhaps the Earth, will end up crushed and engulfed by the sun. And also some moons of Jupiter. A new study in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society predicts this. There the future of our Solar System was analyzed.
They came up with the terrifying prophecy of what our solar system will look like in five billion years. In planetary systems like ours, their host stars become white dwarfs.
Swallowed
“It’s unclear whether or not the Earth can move fast enough before the sun can catch up with it and burn it up. But it would still lose its atmosphere and ocean. “It wouldn’t be a very pleasant place to live.” Professor Boris Gaensicke, from the University of Warwick, explained this in a statement.
The Earth would be engulfed by the Sun, along with Venus and Mercury. This would leave Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune orbiting what would ultimately be a white dwarf.
The surviving smaller asteroids and moons would likely be smashed into dust. Then they will fall into the dead star. Currently, the Sun is burning hydrogen in its core. Once it is exhausted it will expand and become a red giant, before ending up as a white dwarf. It is the final state of stars when they have burned all their fuel.
The researchers of this study wanted to know what happens to asteroids, moons and planets that pass near white dwarfs. They discovered that the fate of these bodies would be extremely violent and catastrophic.
In pieces
Lead researcher Dr Amornrat Aungwerojwit from Naresuan University in Thailand said so. «It happens when asteroids, moons and planets approach white dwarfs. “The enormous gravity of these stars tears these small planetary bodies apart.”
He added: “The sad news is that the Earth will probably be devoured by an expanding sun. It will be before it becomes a white dwarf. The future of our Solar System is inevitable.”
