But, eventually, as the Sun cools and dims to a black dwarf, Earth’s orbit will decay due to the emission of gravitational waves. For eons, Earth will continue to orbit the Sun. If Earth manages to survive the Sun’s giant phase, it will find itself orbiting a hot white dwarf barely larger than our planet. If it comes too close, friction between Earth and the outer layers of the Sun will slow our planet’s orbit, causing it to slowly spiral into our star, dissolving like a sugar cube in a hot cup of coffee.
Astronomers aren’t sure exactly how close the Sun’s outer atmosphere will come to Earth. Earth will become a scorched, lifeless rock - stripped of its atmosphere, its oceans boiled off.
After the Sun exhausts the hydrogen in its core, it will balloon into a red giant, consuming Venus and Mercury.
0 kommentar(er)
