Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory Office of Science NEWTON's Homepage NEWTON's Homepage
NEWTON, Ask A Scientist!
NEWTON Home Page NEWTON Teachers Visit Our Archives Ask A Question How To Ask A Question Question of the Week Our Expert Scientists Volunteer at NEWTON! Frequently Asked Questions Referencing NEWTON About NEWTON About Ask A Scientist Education At Argonne Star Expansion Rate 
Name: John R.
Status: other
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2001-2002
Question:
When a star expands/explodes how long does it actually take for it to engulf its solar system? Minutes, years, centuries? The animations on documentaries seem to take minutes.

Replies:
Many Centuries

Howard Barnes

It would all depend upon how violent the explosion is, and how far away the planets are, but you could bracket it. I am sure that the time that lapses from a solar flare that sends particles to the earth is known, I just do not happen to know what it is. That would be a lower limit. The speed of light would be an upper limit.

Vince Calder


Click here to return to the Astronomy Archives

NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.

For assistance with NEWTON contact a System Operator (help@newton.dep.anl.gov), or at Argonne's Educational Programs

NEWTON AND ASK A SCIENTIST
Educational Programs
Building 360
9700 S. Cass Ave.
Argonne, Illinois
60439-4845, USA
Update: June 2012
Weclome To Newton

Argonne National Laboratory