If you follow science, you know that stars are constantly expanding due to the chemical reactions going on within them. Suns within the center of solar systems will one day inevitably consume their planets or die. This happens over billions of years, however. But just recently, a star was observed consuming a planet whole near the Aquila constellation. Not a gradual process, but one big chomp. Astronomers say it’s a preview of what to expect from our own sun someday.
Weirder to think about is the fact that seeing through space means seeing through time as well. Observing the consumption of the planet actually happened in the past, but has only now been observable from our position in space. The consumption of the planet actually happened between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago. What?! Space is baffling. But as far as expanding suns go, actually seeing the planet obliterated was a first. Plenty of stars have been observed slowly nibbling a nearby planet, but this is the first time the full consumption was observed.
“As the planet went down the stellar hatch, there was a swift hot outburst of light, followed by a long-lasting stream of dust shining brightly in cold infrared energy,” researchers say. And while that might seem like a bleak outcome for our planet, we have about 5 billion years before we have to worry about it. According to the data, it happened in one fell swoop. By that point, humans may not even be living on Earth. Either having destroyed the planet or left it. Either way, it’ll be gone in a flash.
