How much time after the sun will stop lighting.
2007-12-23 05:21:56 · 10 answers · asked by kul 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
There are computer models for stars of different composition and mass. These models have been developed over the past 40 years, and have been compared to the observations of stars, so they are now quite accurate, with very few discrepancies with observations. The stellar models indicate that stars with the size and composition of our Sun will burn hydrogen in their cores for about 10 billion years, and then turn into a red giant. We know our solar system is about 4.5 billion years old, based on radioactive dating of the oldest minerals in meteorites. So the Sun has about 5.5 billion years to go.
2007-12-23 05:34:34 · answer #1 · answered by cosmo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Samantha, the sun will last forever and ever and never go away. And there will be kittens - nice soft fuzzy ones that you can can pet and cuddle.
Everyone else, the main sequence evolution of the sun is actually very well understood, based on computer models validation by observations of other stars. 5 billion years is about right, give or take a few 100 million. Life on earth will have long ended by then, though, because the sun is getting hotter constantly. I've seen estimates of as few as a couple hundred million years from now, earth will be too hot. This may sound counter-intuitive that it would be so short, but we've been lucky so far to have the sun's increasing output counterbalance by *decreasing* CO2 levels due to independent geological processes. The CO2 is almost gone now, however, so it'll just heat up from here (averaged over 10's of millions of years).
2007-12-23 06:56:08 · answer #2 · answered by Dr. R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's much more than simply a guess. I'm not an astrophysicist but I am confident that our understanding of the process of how the sun produces its energy is detailed enough so that one can calculate the rate at which it must be 'burning' its fuel.
If you know the rate at which the sun consumes its resources and have a good estimate of how much fuel it contains, then it's a simple calculation to find how long those resources will last.
I have to admit it's amazing that the sun can put out the enormous power it does for such a long time. Very impressive!
2007-12-23 06:01:26 · answer #3 · answered by Steve H 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
As stars get older, the atoms that they are composed of begin to become more complex and dense as the energy from those components are used. After a certain amount of time, all of those components become iron and then lead and other extremely dense elements until no energy can be gained from them because the bonds between them are too hard to break. The estimates of between 4 and 9 billion years are based on the iron content of the materials in the sun.
2007-12-23 10:03:04 · answer #4 · answered by Shanai 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sun is not burning at a constant rate, neither is it a completely closed system. Therefore, neither the age nor the lifespan of the sun can be accurately calculated. Guesses and estimations vary widely.
2007-12-23 05:59:53 · answer #5 · answered by Neandrathal 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Calculate the rate of nuclear fuel the sun uses against how much it has left.
There are astrophysicist who calculate this out
Try NASA.
2007-12-23 05:26:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
by the life of other stars they can predict the life of ours. and which they think it will end in about 5billion years.
2007-12-23 05:56:50 · answer #7 · answered by gonzabott 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
approx 5billion. the sun is about 5billion years old
2007-12-23 05:25:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
its only an educated guess
2007-12-23 05:24:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Its anyone's guess
2007-12-23 05:24:39 · answer #10 · answered by Kerry 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋