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Will our Sun become a black hole?

Published in Stellar Evolution 1 min read

No, our Sun will not become a black hole.

The possibility of a star collapsing into a black hole depends heavily on its mass. The Sun simply doesn't have enough mass to undergo the kind of gravitational collapse needed to form a black hole.

Why the Sun Can't Become a Black Hole

  • Insufficient Mass: According to provided information, a star needs to be much more massive than the Sun to collapse into a black hole. Our Sun's mass is too small.

What Will Happen to the Sun Instead?

Instead of becoming a black hole, the Sun will eventually evolve into a red giant and ultimately become a white dwarf. Here's a simplified overview:

  1. Red Giant Phase: As the Sun exhausts the hydrogen fuel in its core, it will expand dramatically into a red giant.
  2. Planetary Nebula: After the red giant phase, the Sun will shed its outer layers, forming a beautiful planetary nebula.
  3. White Dwarf: What remains will be a dense, hot core called a white dwarf, which will slowly cool and fade over billions of years.

Therefore, you don't have to worry about the Sun turning into a black hole! It's simply not massive enough for that to happen.