What would be the major impact on Earth if the Earth remained in its present orbit and the Sun was 50 percent more massive than it is now?

Answer 1

If the Sun were to suddenly grow by 50% in mass, at its present orbital speed, the Earth would not travel quickly enough around the sun to remain in orbit, and the Earth would fall into a spiral collision course with the Sun.

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In order for the the Earth to maintain its present orbital radius with a 50% more massive Sun, the Earth's linear orbital velocity would have to be 22% faster than it is now. A year would only be 298.2 days long (9.8 months), instead of 365.25 days.

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Another way of looking at it, in order to maintain its present orbital period of 365.25 days, the Earth would have to increase its linear orbital velocity by 14.5% and increase its orbital radius also by 14.5%.

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If it were 50% more massive, the Sun may also be considerably hotter, and therefore the Earth would be hotter, in which case the Earth would likely not be able to sustain life.

Answer 2

If the Sun were 50 percent more massive, its gravitational pull would be stronger, potentially disrupting the orbits of planets in the solar system. This could lead to changes in Earth's orbit, possibly causing shifts in climate and potential impacts on life. Additionally, the increased solar mass would accelerate the Sun's evolution, leading to a shorter lifespan and eventual expansion into a red giant.