Our Ultimate Fate

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Astrophysics, Earth & Space Sciences, Cosmology, Solar System

Ed Hessler

There is an especially interesting entry on Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) for July 12, 2021.

It is about some big questions: What is going to happen to the sun (and to us) and, of course, when?

It reminds me of a favorite "Grook."

I'D LIKE --

I'd like to know 
what this whole show 
is about 
before it's out.

--Piet Hein 

Scientists who study this matter are learning more and more about the final curtain as you will read in the accompanying entry. 

The 27th object on Charles Messier's list, M27 or the Dumbbell Nebula, a planetary nebula. That name is misleading and has nothing to do with planets. There is a short explanation of what this M27 reveals about our future. Not to worry, though. The recipe for this even includes time, about 6 billion years from now, but this is our fate.  

In addition, the image is beautiful.