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Astronomy/Red Giant Pahse of Sun

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Expert: - 3/29/2011


Question
Dear Sir,
It may be odd question, but I wanted to know
Is the Red Giant phase of our SUN will affect the rotational motion of earth, possibly slowing it down.
Also does it affect the shape of earth from spherical to something else?

Thanks & Regards
Zingo

Answer
Hello,

Actually, the putative effects on Earth you describe are all, in a way, academic. Since the Sun in the Red Giant phase is theorized to expand its diameter at least to Earth's orbit (some project it will expand to Mars') then rotational motion, shape etc. won't matter. The Earth by then will have been converted to a burnt out cinder.

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Philip Stahl

Expertise

I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.

Experience

Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.

Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar Physics and Dynamical Astronomy divisions), American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union

Publications
Solar Physics (journal), The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, The Proceedings of the Meudon Solar Flare Workshop (1986), The Proceedings of the Caribbean Physics Conference (1985). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.

Education/Credentials
B.A. Astronomy, M. Phil. Physics

Awards and Honors
American Astronomical Society Studentship Award (1984), Barbados Government Award for Solar Research

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