when the sun burns out

Discussion in 'Astronomy, Exobiology, & Cosmology' started by stephen1992, Aug 10, 2007.

  1. stephen1992 Registered Member

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    when the sun burns out we wont see for millions of light years i think but iss there a way to tell apart from the obvious observation
     
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  3. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    I'm not sure what you are trying to say. LONG before the Sun "burns out", it will turn into a red dwarf and totally scorch all life off the Earth. There won't be anyone here after that to see anything.

    So what ARE you trying to say?
     
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  5. stephen1992 Registered Member

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    oh ok sorry i didnt know it would do that
     
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  7. Communist Hamster Cricetulus griseus leninus Valued Senior Member

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    Plus, the Sun is only 8 light-minutes away from Earth (light takes 8 minutes to travel from the Sun to Earth) so if the Sun stopped shining 'now', we'd have 8 minutes before we realised it.

    This is where the concept of 'no uniform simultaneity' comes from, btw.
     
  8. Oli Heute der Enteteich... Registered Senior Member

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    11,888
    We won't see what for millions of "light years"?
    A light year is a measure of distance.
    If you mean something along the lines of "we won't see that the sun has burnt out for X years", the light from the sun takes about 8 1/2 minutes to reach us.
     
  9. stephen1992 Registered Member

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    yh but could u tell it had happen before your 8 minutes were up is wat i meant
     
  10. Oli Heute der Enteteich... Registered Senior Member

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    11,888
    The only information we get from the sun travels at light speed: so the 8 1/2 (or 8

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    ) minutes after is the soonest we'd know.
    And the soonest we could know.
     
  11. Klitwo Registered Member

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    80

    In about million years from now, it will start getting pretty hot around here. I wouldn't be planning any vacations in Acapulco at that time. It's hot enough down there already.

    http://www.valdosta.edu/phy/astro/pl_shows/bh_2001/bh/page10.html
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2007
  12. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    How long could we survive after the sun goes out (if it just happened like a light bulb)
    Would we last a week?
     
  13. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    We are going to be fried by the expansion of our sun as it goes into its death throws. We won't ever see the final extinguishment of our sun from this planet or any planets in this solar system.
     
  14. Klitwo Registered Member

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    80
    Depends. If that event ever happened, it could take weeks, months or even years depending how cold it gets. With the sun out of business, it's going to get very cold, very dark, very fast. However, with a few billion years left before it turns into a White Dwarf, I'm not going to 'sweat' it for now.
     
  15. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Cosmic, You missed the light bulb part. What if aliens killed it in a split second. How long would we live without our sun.
     
  16. Klitwo Registered Member

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    If aliens killed it (the sun) in a 'split second', then forget about TGIF. However, as long as you have electrical power plants still running, you would last a while. How long for sure? Maybe not as long as a crew on board nuclear subs that are crusing under the ocean.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2007
  17. Janus58 Valued Senior Member

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    2,394
    I'm sure that this was just a typo on your part, but for the record, the Sun will become a red giant not a red dwarf.
     
  18. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    33,264

    It would take a few years befor ALL life was extingushied. there could be some micoscopic organisms that could linger and perhaps some deep water things but as far as the surface, it is done.
     
  19. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    25,817
    but what if I lived by a volcano?
     
  20. pencil Banned Banned

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    Genetic modification could modify all sorts of crops to grow in harsh desert-like temperatures or even underground. As for people, we could build deep underground lairs where the temperatures would be suitable.

    Perhaps even build deep ocean marinas and bases. I'm sure panic would get the best of everyone though.
     
  21. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    Indeed it was, Janus. As I was typing along I suppose the British sci-fi program was in the back of my mind.
     
  22. Klitwo Registered Member

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    80
    Your property value wouldn't be very high, especially if it were an active volcano. However, if you wanted to live by a volcano, might I suggest Yellowstone. The world's largest supervolcano. When it erupts every 600,000 plus years, the world population should decrease a little. Did I say a little? I should have said a lot. Or better yet, try living near TOBA in Sumatra. When it erupted last time (Circa: 73,000B.C.), it really thinned out the world's Neanderthal population big time.

    http://tobavolcano.googlepages.com/home
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2007

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