Scalding nearby stars guard our Solar System

 It is found that wispy clumps of interstellar clouds made of hydrogen and helium turn out to "guard" the Solar System and have been quite close,' just beyond'. Not only were they found close to the Local Cloud but they probably protect the Solar System from outside adverse intrusions.

It is said they stretch about 30 light years, or 175 trillion miles from end to end, says Michael Shull at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Like discovering a new neighborhood. It is nearing our region of the galaxy called 'local hot bubble' where gas and dust are scarce. Thus it can protect the Solar System from ionizing radiation and helps leave our place habitable throughout the evolution of Earth.

Looking back, 4.4 million years, the team says is an example where Canis Major constellation would have made a brushing past of the Sun at about 30 light years away. They would have looked very bright in the sky and would have ionized local clouds with temperatures of 45,000 degrees. They note that Epsilon and Canis Majoris will exist probably only 20 million more years at most. Then their fuel will be used up and they will supernova, which may not bother Earth but will make quite a light show.

The team, which include Rachel Curran, Michael Topping and Jonathan Slavin submitted the report to "Astrophysical Journal" 2025.