Is the Sun shrinking in size by 200 miles per year?

Answer 1

Observations have shown that in fact the sun is not shrinking. In 5 billion years from now just as it uses up its remaining hydrogen it will still be 99.9% as big as it is now.
In 1987, several astronomers from Paris Observatory made an announcement regarding the size of the Sun that astonished their colleagues (Kippenhahn, R., 1994, pg. 163). They claimed that solar eclipse data from 1666 to 1719 showed that the Sun was 2000 kilometers larger than it is today. This amounts to a 0.3 percent reduction; and the time period, which roughly corresponds to the Maunder Minimum, seemed to be more than coincidental. However, this data was found to contain an error regarding the 1715 solar eclipse path of totality. Consequently, the Sun was the same size in 1716 as it is today, and astronomers were reassured.


Reference
R. Kippenhahn, Discovering the Secrets of the Sun, Wiley Press, 1994.

Answer 2

Stars expand through their lifetime. In maybe 5 billion more years, the sun will be a red giant, cooler, but much larger, consuming much of the solar system. Then it will nova, leaving nothing but a red dwarf in its place, or possibly a black hole.

Answer 3

No. Stars expand in their lifetime and become red giants. Some large stars can become novas and then black holes but the Sun is too small to become on so it will just become a red giant and then blow up.

Answer 4

no, it'll first expand all the way out to mars, shrink back into a white dwarf, and then turn into a black dwarf. it wont be a nova, it's not that kind of star...im pretty sure that's how it goes.

Answer 5

no no no it is actually expanding and will eventually become a red dwarf and consume venus mercury and earth before it explodes

Answer 6

No.

Answer 7

No, yes- I dunno, go out and measure it then tell us when you get back