When the Sun Becomes a Red Giant: Will Earth Be Swallowed?

When the Sun becomes a red giant, everything in the inner Solar System changes forever. In this video, we break down the Sun’s terrifying late-life evolution—from the strange electron-degenerate core to the sudden helium flash, and then the dramatic swelling that can push the Sun’s outer edge toward Earth’s orbit (1 AU).

You’ll see what happens as the Sun’s brightness rises sharply: oceans evaporate, the atmosphere is slowly stripped by solar wind, and Earth risks becoming a scorching, molten magma world. We also explore the likely fate of Mercury and Venus, and the big question everyone asks: Will Earth be swallowed, or survive as a burned-out rock?

Finally, we follow the Sun through its last stages—helium fusion fading, a final violent pulse that ejects the outer layers into a glowing planetary nebula, and the birth of a dense white dwarf about the size of Earth but holding roughly half the Sun’s mass. Over immense time, that white dwarf cools and fades, ending the Sun’s glorious life.

Watch until the end to understand the full timeline: Helium Flash → Red Giant → Planetary Nebula → White Dwarf → Black Dwarf.

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