Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: DON on 18/05/2008 15:31:21

Title: What will happen to the solar system when the Sun is a white dwarf?
Post by: DON on 18/05/2008 15:31:21

DON asked the Naked Scientists:

What will happen to the remaing planets orbit when the sun has lost its size as a white dwarf? Will Jupiter's gravity pull them?


What do you think?

Title: What will happen to the solar system when the Sun is a white dwarf?
Post by: syhprum on 18/05/2008 17:06:05

Before it degenerates into a white dwarf our Sun will go thru a red giant phase destroying the inner planets (Mercury to Mars) It will then shrink to white dwarf size with little loss of mass and the orbits of the outer planets will be little disturbed.
The surface temperature will be greatly increased but due to the much smaller surface area the actual power output will be very low.

Title: What will happen to the solar system when the Sun is a white dwarf?
Post by: turnipsock on 18/05/2008 21:29:58

I thought it was changing into a Red Giant and we were all going to have to move to Mars when the Earth gets to hot.

Title: What will happen to the solar system when the Sun is a white dwarf?
Post by: syhprum on 19/05/2008 07:26:47

Mars may be far enough out to avoid being swallowed up at the red giant stage but after the Sun shrinks to a white dwarf it will radiate so little heat that Mars will cool down to near CMBR temperatures having little or no source of internal heat and wont be very comfortable.