Astronomers are exploring the potential risks to Earth’s position in the solar system, identifying that the gravitational effects of other stars that pass close by could push Earth into the Sun or eject it into deep space. This research, published in Icarus, examines how ‘field stars’ could induce instability within the solar system, potentially changing the solar system’s structure well before the Sun exhausts its fuel. Through extensive computer modeling, the researchers simulated the solar system’s evolution over billions of years. They discovered that a star similar in size to our Sun, making a close pass (within 10,000 AU), could seriously disrupt the Oort Cloud. The research highlights the relative instability of planetary orbits, including Pluto, as compared to previous assumptions. The study also found that a passing star can trigger instabilities in Mercury’s orbit and potentially cause a collision between Earth and other planets.
