Dying Sun could tear the solar system apart sooner than thought

New research in The Astrophysical Journal Letters suggests the outer planets will meet their end in roughly 1 billion years, not a quintillion as previously estimated, as the Sun sheds mass in its final stages.

• Timeline for outer planets shortened from a quintillion to about 1 billion years
• Cause is the Sun losing mass in its late evolutionary stage
• Study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters