Astronomers have conducted new experiments and found that Earth could face a catastrophic scenario due to the passage of another star near the solar system. The new study, published in the journal Icarus, shows that "wandering" stars can significantly affect the orbits of planets, causing them to collide with each other or even be thrown out of the solar system.
Our solar system may be less isolated and stable than previously thought, according to new astronomical data. This is because the Milky Way galaxy is full of stars that can approach our solar system too close, which can cause gravitational shifts of the planets.
Scientists estimate that about 19 times every million years, the Solar System passes within 1 parsec of other stars. A parsec is an astronomical unit of distance, roughly equal to 3.26 light years. For comparison, the distance to the nearest known star from the Solar System is 4.25 light years.
Scientists have modeled cosmic events billions of years into the future and found that in 2% of scenarios, the Solar System will lose one or more planets during a close encounter with another star. In particular, the probability of Earth being thrown out of the system or colliding with another celestial body is 0.2%. Mars has an even higher risk - 0.3%.
Pluto has a 5% chance of becoming unstable, while Mercury is considered the most vulnerable planet, with a 50-80% chance of becoming unstable due to gravitational shifts. This could lead to it either leaving the solar system or colliding with the nearest planet, Venus.
Although these events could occur within the next 4-5 billion years, research shows that the risk of planets changing their gravity or losing them completely is much higher than previously thought.