Book 8, Question 70
Why Will the Sun Keep Shining for Billions of Years?
The Sun will keep shining for billions of years because it has plenty of fuel left! The Sun is about 4.6 billion years old and has enough hydrogen fuel to shine for roughly 5 billion more years. There is nothing to worry about.
More fun facts
- In 1938, scientist Bethe and his colleagues worked out the chain of reactions that powers the Sun.
- The Sun has given Earth a nearly steady amount of heat and light for about 4.5 billion years.
- Even so, the Sun has slowly gotten about 30 percent brighter over its lifetime.
- Much later in its life, the Sun's core will get hot enough, about 100 million degrees Celsius, to turn helium into carbon and oxygen.
- When it is a little over 12 billion years old, the Sun will be essentially dead.
Sources: NASA, Scientific American
Questions kids ask
What is the Sun's fuel?
Hydrogen, which it turns into helium deep in its core.