Distant Sun on the Verge of Death Provides a Glimpse into Our Own Future

Scientists believe that the death of our home planet will occur once the sun will expand to 100 times its current size. Astronomers have been able to observe a dying star, much like our flaming giant, that displays the behavior researchers expect to see in our sun in approximately 5 billion years’ time.

The scientists say that our planet, together with Mercury and Venus, will be burnt to a crisp once the sun turns into a red giant. In the process, our solar system’s light and heat source will swell to 100 times its size. Next, over the course of the following 2 billion years, the red giant will turn into a white dwarf as it dies.

A recent study provides the scientific community with a terrifying glimpse into the future. Using the world’s most powerful telescope, the researchers have been observing the behavior of a neighboring star on the verge of death, approximately 208 light years away. Moreover, a dying planet is orbiting the red giant, serving as an example of what will become of our planet in the future. The only way for humans to survive is to develop the technology needed for colonizing other planets and escape the hellish fate that awaits us, according to the scientists.

The L2 Puppis is currently a red giant, experiencing the final stages of its life. In the past, the L2 Puppis was a lot like our sun. However, astronomers warn that the same fate awaits us in the distant future. The next evolutionary step is for the red giant to become a white dwarf. This means that the star shrinks down to approximately the size of our earth, due to intense mass loss. Nevertheless, one teaspoon of it can weigh up to five tons. By this point, our sun will have obliterated all life on Earth.

“This metamorphosis will have a dramatic impact on the planets of our Solar System”, reads the study.

The researchers also say that the fate of our Earth is uncertain at this point. However, in order to survive, humanity has to come up with an effective solution as soon as possible, even if we have to face reality sometime in the distant future.

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