International Reporter, India
09-15-07
Sun may engulf Earth after becoming Red Giant- Dr. Raj Baldev, Indian Cosmo
Theorist
Monica Groover
September 15, 2007 - Monica Groover Interviews Dr. Raj Baldev, Cosmo
Theorist from India - whether the Earth would live after the Sun expires its life, as
recently claimed by the scientists?
Dr. Raj Baldev, you are considered one of the authorities on Cosmos and its
theories and that’s why you are regarded as ‘Cosmo Theorist’. You have also
written a wonderful book “Two Big Bangs Created the Universe” (Formed in
Eternal Space) explaining how the Universe was born and developed.
Despite scientific faith more on the theory of single Big Bang , you are continuing
with your original ideas which in my opinion has fetched great appreciations and
which is why people seek your interviews on Cosmos and its new discoveries
and gain sufficient knowledge.
Monica Groover: After about 10 billion years when the Sun’s life expires, which
is its normal life as calculated by scientists and astronomers, what would
possibly be the shape of the Sun or its reaction on other planets of the Solar
Systems and particularly on the Earth?
Dr.Raj Baldev: “Let us first assume that the Sun has a life of about 10 billion
years. After its life expires, it is likely to expand into a red giant, which is a natural
phenomenon for each star after completing its life span, and since Sun is a star,
it has to behave in the similar manner. The gravity level shall automatically
change and it must affect the life of the nearby planets.
“Though the Sun after becoming a red giant cannot become a Black Hole, it
sucking power after having lived its normal life shall increase to some extent due
to change in gravity level, and may result to swallow any planet nearby
depending on its orbit how closely would be its trajectory?
Though the Sun cannot become a Black Hole, Mercury and Venus would be its
immediate victims since they have close orbits to the Sun, they would not be able
to survive the gravity change; they have to hit the Sun after its expansion as a
red giant.
“I have every doubt whether the Earth would be able to escape from the clutches
of the Sun, Mars may slip. If the Earth’s orbit spirals outwardly, though not
possible since its distance is not that far where its escape could be certain,
supposing it spirals outwardly and escapes, even then it has to be crashed
somewhere, it would not be able to live as a wandering planet for a long period.
There is nothing to worry about by the people now, since by that time no
survivals would be there on the Earth.
“More the distant planets, safer they shall be. But it is not as easy as we presume
or the scientists have taken the discovery lightly.
“In fact the astronomers have discovered a planet, orbiting a red giant star and
are basing their presumption and pinning hopes that their Earth might survive
after the Sun becomes a red giant.”
Monica Groover: Dr. Raj Baldev, would you please explain the background of this
discovery?
Dr.Raj Baldev: “An international team of astronomers from 15 different countries
have announced the planetary discovery collectively, and their article might have
been published in the journal Nature. To be more specific: Roberto Silvotti of the
Italian National Institute of Astrophysics led the team, which discovered a planet
slightly more massive than Jupiter around the star named V 391 Pegasi. The
team deserves special appreciation for their wonderful discovery and their hard
labour involved
“The planet orbits this star every 3.2 years, traveling 158 million miles away from
the star. It follows an orbit slightly larger than the orbit of Mars."
Dr. Raj Baldev continued: “The planet is called V 391 Pegasi b, and before its
parent star transformed into the red giant as they claim to have seen, it orbited at
roughly the same distance as the Earth."
“As the star expanded, its centre of gravity changed, and the planet's orbit
spiraled outward, keeping pace with the changing star. Although the star now
engulfs a distance comparable between the Sun and the Earth, the planet is now
out past the orbit of Mars; takes 3.2 years to complete a full year."
Dr. Raj Baldev feels that it does not mean that the Earth is safe. I endorse the
opinion of Steve Kawaler from Iowa State University, one of he Researchers
have given a good analysis:
"We shouldn't take too much heart in this - this planet is larger than Jupiter, so a
smaller planet like the Earth could still be vulnerable. As far as our planets are
concerned, we expect Mercury and Venus to disappear in the Sun's envelope,
whereas Mars should survive. The fate of the Earth is less clear because its
position is really at the limit: it appears more likely that the Earth will not survive
the red giant expansion of the Sun either, but it is not for sure."
“As regards the image of this discovered planet, its represents the system V 391
Pegasi as it was about 100 million years ago, when the star was at its maximum
red giant expansion and close to explosive helium ignition, the so-called 'helium
flash', that causes the expulsion of the star's outer layers. At that time, the stellar
radius of about 100 million kilometers was not much smaller than the orbital
distance of the planet, of the order of 150 million kilometers (i.e. the distance
between the Earth and the Sun). (Image courtesy of HELAS, the European Helioand Asteroseismology Network, funded by the European Union under
Framework Programme 6; Mark Garlick, artist.).