Earl hasn’t figured it out: He wouldn’t know to do that until the light went out. By the way, if the moon is visible near full, it will shine for another second or so as the last light first passes the earth then bounces back.
PS: It’s more probable that the Sun will get much brighter, not dimmer.
You’d have about 8.3 minutes to notice that the sun had gone out – (that everything in the sky would turn dark). If the sun continued to be out, the coat would not matter (for very long at all).
A question to ponder: If the sun were to blink out of existence and the Earth was no longer gravitationally bound wouldn’t it take longer than 8 minutes for the last photon to reach the Earth?
Without the sun, the earth would go speeding through space in a straight (more or less) line. Would it stop orbiting immediately (gravity is instant) or eight minutes later (gravity moves at the speed of light)?
If possible, we could dump as much “super greenhouse gases” into the atmosphere to help hold in the heat of the planet. Burn all the oil and coal we could in the meantime to stay warm and provide heat and light.
There was a Twilight Zone episode about this happening, an old black and white one.
jagedlo over 3 years ago
Survival of the fittest, Earl?
hariseldon59 over 3 years ago
Actually, if the sun went nova, it would first expand to engulf the Earth and other inner planets.
sirbadger over 3 years ago
It takes more than 8 minutes to get cold at night. It would get dark in 8 minutes but take longer to get very very cold.
Concretionist over 3 years ago
Earl hasn’t figured it out: He wouldn’t know to do that until the light went out. By the way, if the moon is visible near full, it will shine for another second or so as the last light first passes the earth then bounces back.
PS: It’s more probable that the Sun will get much brighter, not dimmer.
Doug K over 3 years ago
You’d have about 8.3 minutes to notice that the sun had gone out – (that everything in the sky would turn dark). If the sun continued to be out, the coat would not matter (for very long at all).
Wilde Bill over 3 years ago
It would take 8 minutes before you knew the sun went out.
Frankie5466 over 3 years ago
so earl is one of those friends: “I don’t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you!”
Bullet Bronson Premium Member over 3 years ago
With friends like you, Earl, who needs enemies.
cubswin2016 over 3 years ago
I do not think that a coat would help.
in-dubio-pro-rainbow over 3 years ago
Good grief! Isn’t this world cold enough without the sun going out?
juicebruce over 3 years ago
That would not be nice Earl .
nosirrom over 3 years ago
A question to ponder: If the sun were to blink out of existence and the Earth was no longer gravitationally bound wouldn’t it take longer than 8 minutes for the last photon to reach the Earth?
The Reader Premium Member over 3 years ago
It’ll be Mad Max all over again!
iggyman over 3 years ago
If the sun went out it would take approximately 8 minutes for the light to stop arriving to the Earth, but a while longer for the Earth to cool !
iggyman over 3 years ago
Forget it Earl, in a short while even that coat would not be enough!
tom.rebuild over 3 years ago
We wouldn’t know the sun had gone out until 8 minutes after it happened
Milady Meg over 3 years ago
Without the sun, the earth would go speeding through space in a straight (more or less) line. Would it stop orbiting immediately (gravity is instant) or eight minutes later (gravity moves at the speed of light)?
david_42 over 3 years ago
Not really. It would get very dark, but the thermal mass of the planet and atmosphere would make for a slow decrease on the order of days.
wongo over 3 years ago
I dunno Earl, the coat just isn’t your style.
Zebrastripes over 3 years ago
Lol! Only Earl would come up with that statement…
Redd Panda over 3 years ago
Did he overlook the resulting darkness?
‘’Hey, who switched off the light?’’
ANIMAL over 3 years ago
I don’t think a COAT is gonna make much difference.
Wirepuncher over 3 years ago
There’s some “news” outlets that would say it’s fake news.
Homo Futuris over 3 years ago
It wouldn’t be any colder than it is at about 8 pm at first, then would slowly cool down.
e.groves over 3 years ago
Kind of a dark strip today. The sun is shining on Tulsa. TGIF. Have a great day, everyone.
mistercatworks over 3 years ago
Yes, but there would be “breaking news” announcements on the Internet for a week. :)
Alberta Oil over 3 years ago
Sure but someone would have to phone to let you know the sun was going out in 8 minutes.
swanridge over 3 years ago
But the moonlight would keep going on for a couple seconds longer!
Nekot over 3 years ago
If the sun goes out, life on Earth will cease to exist!
gooddavid over 3 years ago
8.3 minutes to be exact. I was discussing that with my 8th grade science students yesterday as we were talking about the properties of light.
christelisbetty over 3 years ago
In the beginning there was the light. I’m pretty sure that come the dark, it will be the end.
Buckeye67 over 3 years ago
If the sun did go out, it would make all those solar enthusiast look stupid.
Ray Helvy Premium Member over 3 years ago
How much CO2 can we pump into the atmosphere in that event, to slow the cooldown with the greenhouse effect? (Ans.: Not enough.)
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace over 3 years ago
Not that you would know it was going to happen until the light didn’t reach you.
Just think, some of the galaxies we see may have few living stars left, died billions of years back.
newswatcher over 3 years ago
Funny, I deed…
Cactus-Pete over 3 years ago
Gee, if the sun went out I guess I’d have to read my comics by moonlight.
Daeder over 3 years ago
That’s what I remember during the last eclipse.
cosman over 3 years ago
Doncha love science study class..
ChrisTrey over 3 years ago
If possible, we could dump as much “super greenhouse gases” into the atmosphere to help hold in the heat of the planet. Burn all the oil and coal we could in the meantime to stay warm and provide heat and light.
There was a Twilight Zone episode about this happening, an old black and white one.
JP Steve Premium Member over 3 years ago
“See, I told you Global Warming was a hoax…”
wiatr over 3 years ago
I think we’d have more trouble than it just getting colder.
Sailor46 USN 65-95 over 3 years ago
Well, most of only need 6 minutes at the most.