Go to previous topic
Go to next topic
Last Post 3/20/2008 2:24 PM by  Anonymous
Star Birth
 2 Replies
Author Messages

Anonymous





Posts:


--
3/19/2008 8:54 AM

    Is it possible for a new star to be born as big and powerful as the sun? If so, could it be the new sun once this sun dies?

    ~Nicole L (FWMS)


    Terry Kucera



    Basic Member


    Posts:328
    Basic Member


    --
    3/19/2008 2:40 PM

    Hi Nicole,

    We think that stars are born in huge clouds of gas and dust (see the picture below). Billions of years ago when the Sun was being born this bit of the galaxy would have had a lot of material to form stars, but now it does not.

    So, it is certainly possible for a star like the sun to form somewhere else, but not in our solar system, which is where it would need to be to replace the sun. Our Sun is good for a long time to come, though - a few billion more years!

    Terry

    Eagle Nebula - region where stars are forming


    Anonymous





    Posts:


    --
    3/20/2008 2:24 PM

    Thank you, Terry.



    ---