What would happen if the Sun collided with a similar star?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the hypothetical scenario of the Sun colliding with another star that is an exact copy of itself. Participants explore the potential outcomes of such a collision, including effects on the Sun, Earth, and other planets, while considering factors like collision velocity and angle.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the consequences of a collision between two sun-like stars, specifically regarding the impact on the Sun and the Earth.
  • Another participant suggests that there is limited information available on the specific scenario of two sun-like stars colliding, despite finding general information on stellar collisions.
  • Some participants propose that the outcomes of such a collision would depend on various factors, including the velocities and angles of the stars at the time of collision.
  • It is suggested that two stars might either merge or not, with potential effects on surrounding planets ranging from minimal to catastrophic.
  • A later reply questions whether, if the stars do not merge, they would simply explode, indicating uncertainty about the nature of the collision outcomes.
  • One participant recommends searching for the term 'stellar collision' for more information, emphasizing that such events likely occur in binary star systems.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the specifics of the collision outcomes, with no consensus reached regarding the exact effects on the Sun, Earth, or the nature of the collision itself.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the distance between stars is significant, with the nearest star being Proxima Centauri, which may limit the relevance of such hypothetical scenarios to current concerns.

GiantSheeps
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What would happen if the Sun collided with an exact copy of itself? I can't find any information online about this exact scenario. So what would happen to the Sun? What would happen to the Earth and the rest of the planets?

Any information or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!
 
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GiantSheeps said:
I can't find any information online
I did a Google search on:

When stars collide

and got lots of good hits, including a Wikipedia article. Have you already been through that hit list?
 
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berkeman said:
I did a Google search on:

When stars collide

and got lots of good hits, including a Wikipedia article. Have you already been through that hit list?

Yeah I have and there isn't very much on two sun-like stars colliding, and i couldn't find anything on how it would effect the Earth of our own Sun was one of the involved stars.
 
It would depend on velocities and on how direct/glancing the collision was. Two stars might merge or they might not. Ditto for the planets, effects range from minimal to destruction depending on the velocity and angle of the second star, plus the direct hit/glancing hit extent of a collision.

I don't see any significant difference between two sun-size stars or two exact copies.
 
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anorlunda said:
It would depend on velocities and on how direct/glancing the collision was. Two stars might merge or they might not. Ditto for the planets, effects range from minimal to destruction depending on the velocity and angle of the second star, plus the direct hit/glancing hit extent of a collision.

I don't see any significant difference between two sun-size stars or two exact copies.

If they don't merge, would they just explode?
 
Try the term 'stellar collision'
I get hundreds of hits, plus graphics.
start:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_collision

Before you go off the deep end with suppositions, these collisions probably happen in binary (or more start systems). Earth's nearest neighbor star is is Proxima centauri, about 4.25 light years away. In miles that is 2,498,400,000,000 miles away. Average distance of nearby stars - a gross estimate is 6.3 light years apart. Absurdly far away to worry about right now.

@GiantSheeps please do some reading before you ask more questions. A lot of what you asked is explained in the article I linked.
 
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