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Earth May Survive Sun’s Red Giant, Mercury Won’t — Study Finds

6/29/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Mats Esseldeurs (KU Leuven) and his team reported in Astronomy & Astrophysics (June 19 2026) that Earth may avoid the Sun’s red-giant engulfment.
Their calculations show tidal drag in a giant star is weaker, so if solar mass loss dominates Earth will drift outward.
L2 Puppis loses one-millionth of a solar mass per year, making mass loss the main uncertainty; Mercury and Venus will be engulfed while Mars likely survives.

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Story summary

Mats Esseldeurs (KU Leuven) and his team reported in Astronomy & Astrophysics (June 19 2026) that Earth may avoid the Sun’s red-giant engulfment.
Their calculations show tidal drag in a giant star is weaker, so if solar mass loss dominates Earth will drift outward.
L2 Puppis loses one-millionth of a solar mass per year, making mass loss the main uncertainty; Mercury and Venus will be engulfed while Mars likely survives.