• Question: will the sun explode

    Asked by anon-219747 to Ali, Bella, Declan, Emma, Laurence, Nicolas on 7 Jun 2019.
    • Photo: Laurence Datrier

      Laurence Datrier answered on 7 Jun 2019:

      Very dramatic explosions (supernovae) are reserved for much more massive stars. However, when our Sun runs out of hydrogen to fuse in its core it will turn into a Red Giant, becoming more luminous, larger, and cooler. Eventually, it will shed its outer layers as a planetary nebula (you can google this – they’re very pretty!), leaving only a core called a white dwarf behind.

    • Photo: Declan Jonckers

      Declan Jonckers answered on 10 Jun 2019:

      As Laurence mentioned, our sun shouldn’t explode. But when it becomes a red dwarf in a few billions of years, it will grow big enough to swallow the Earth! Hopefully, we’ll have found somewhere else to live by then!

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