The Sun Exploding: Effects on Earth

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SUMMARY

If the Sun were to explode, Earth would experience the effects after approximately eight minutes due to the finite speed of light. This delay occurs because light and gravitational influences travel at the same speed. Even after the explosion, the Sun's gravitational pull would remain until the mass dissipates, allowing for a measurable drop in the gravitational field as the explosion propagates through the Solar System.

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Glynis
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If the sun were to explode would the effect on Earth be simultaneous or would the explosion of the sun affect the Earth after eight minutes
 
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BTW, I know you're just speculating about a hypothetical circumstance, but do note that, even though the Sun explodes, it still continues to have a gravitational influence. The mass doesn't simply vanish.

You could measure the drop in the gravitational field as the shell of mass and energy approached, passed and expanded out into the Solar System.

Nature abhors a vertical slope.
 

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