The sun is a third-generation star. This means that solar matter has already been in the stars twice. After the Big Bang in the Universe, due to fluctuations in the density of matter, pieces of matter (compaction) were formed, which began to shrink under the influence of self-gravity. In these seals, fragmentation also began, which led to the formation of numerous galaxies that formed many clusters of galaxies. Similarly, stars formed in the galaxies, forming numerous clusters of stars within the galaxies
The death of the star S Ori is the future for the Earth's Sun
It is not so hard to know what will happen inside the Sun in the days when it reaches the stage of inflating and absorbing the planets of the Earth's group. To do this, you need to find a star that is already in this state and observe it. Astronomer Markus Wittkowski from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) has taken on this important task together with his colleagues.
Scientists took (of course, as an expression) the star S Ori from the constellation of Orion and began to look at it. The choice of this object is based on two preconditions. Firstly, it has a mass similar to the mass of the Sun, and, apparently, approximately repeats the evolution of our star. Secondly, now S Ori is in such condition in which the Sun will be in 5 billion years, that is is is improbably "swollen" red giant slowly transforming into a white dwarf.
S Ori is in an unstable condition as a result of what its number of parameters varies in due course. It is a pulsating variable star. During one cycle of pulsation lasting 420 days, its brightness changes in 500 times.
Even though this star is hundreds of times larger than the Sun, it is very difficult to consider it. Therefore, astronomers have to apply a special technique. This time the Wittkowski group decided to use the VLTI (Very Large Telescope Interferometer) optical telescope and the VLBA (Very Long Baseline Array) radio interferometer to look into the inside of the dying giant.
David Boboltz, another participant in the study from the United States Naval Observatory, compared the work of an astronomer to that of a medical worker who had to use various tools. Therefore, two different interferometers were used this time. These instruments allowed the researchers to study the inner structure of the red giant and to isolate separate layers of the red giant. With the help of VLTI, scientists were able to determine the amplitude of the ripple diameter S Ori. As it turned out, it varies from 400 to 500 solar radii. So if there are planets around S Ori, now they at best look like hot stones or hot gas balloons. Especially interesting was the discovery in the atmosphere surrounding the star of the shell of SiO - silicon monoxide, a compound that does not exist in the purest form in the Earth's conditions. This layer has given out itself as monochromatic electromagnetic radiation in a centimeter range - so-called maser radiation, which was registered by VLBA. The discovery of aluminum oxide Al2O3 (on Earth it exists as a corundum mineral) mixed with SiO was no less surprising. Both of these substances behave in the same way, differing only in their radiation spectra.
Previously, it was believed that such compounds immediately "fly" from the star into the surrounding space, contributing to the formation of cosmic dust, and then planetary disks. However, scientists were very surprised to learn that these substances can be inside the atmosphere of S Ori. However, in due course the part of a matter nevertheless is taken outwards, and, by estimations of researchers, weight of substance which S Ori loses for a cycle of pulsation, is comparable to the weight of our planet. The most intensive emission occurs during the minimum of pulsation.
According to Boboltz, soon the researchers plan to trace the maser radiation of water molecules, located in the farthest from the center of the gas shell. This will give a more accurate picture of the ripple S Ori. This is the first time that astronomers have been able to examine in detail an almost accurate copy of the Sun in the future, which is somewhere far away from us, and "disassemble" it into previously unseen "parts".
What appeared before them was the death of our star and with it the solar system. On the one hand, there seems to be no escape from this grim denouement. On the other hand, it is not expected very soon. So you can think about it - if you want, of course.