How Long Does VY Canis Majoris Have Left?

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  • Thread starter Thread starter Newtons Apple
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the lifespan and current state of the star VY Canis Majoris, exploring whether it is in its final stages of life, its size evolution, and the timeline for its eventual death. The scope includes theoretical considerations about stellar evolution and observational implications.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether VY Canis Majoris ballooned to its massive size during its death throes or if it has always been that large.
  • Another participant states that the timeline for the star's death could be millions of years or suggests a specific year, 2012, as a point of reference.
  • A different participant proposes that the star may have already died, but we have not yet observed this event.
  • One participant succinctly notes that nobody knows the definitive answer regarding the star's status.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express uncertainty regarding the current state and future of VY Canis Majoris, with no consensus on its lifespan or whether it has already died.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations in observational data and the inherent uncertainties in predicting stellar lifetimes.

Newtons Apple
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I read somewhere that the star is in its last stages of life, so is it true, that in its death throes, it ballooned up to the massive size? Or was it always that huge? Will we see the last events of the stars life, or will this take millions of years for it to finally burn out?
 
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Nobody knows.
 
Millions of years, or maybe 2012. It is too distant to matter.
 
It may have already died, we just have not seen it yet.
 

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