Astronomers from UC Berkeley discovered a rocky exoplanet 4,000 light years away, offering insights into Earth’s potential future when the sun becomes a white dwarf. This system mirrors predictions for the sun-Earth system: a white dwarf with an Earth-sized companion orbiting farther out. As the sun evolves into a red giant, it will engulf Mercury and Venus, possibly causing Earth to migrate outward. Eventually, the sun will shed its outer layers, leaving a dense white dwarf. Earth might survive, orbiting at twice its current distance. This discovery aids understanding of stellar evolution and planetary impacts.
- Ava Harrington
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