▁time , ▁the ▁cum ulative ▁probability ▁of ▁a ▁chance ▁encounter ▁with ▁a ▁star ▁increases , ▁and ▁dis ruption ▁of ▁the ▁plan ets ▁becomes ▁all ▁but ▁in ev itable . ▁Assuming ▁that ▁the ▁Big ▁Cr unch ▁or ▁Big ▁R ip ▁scenarios ▁for ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Un iverse ▁do ▁not ▁occur , ▁calculations ▁suggest ▁that ▁the ▁gravity ▁of ▁passing ▁stars ▁will ▁have ▁completely ▁stri pped ▁the ▁dead ▁Sun ▁of ▁its ▁remaining ▁plan ets ▁within ▁ 1   quad r ill ion ▁( 1 0 1 5 ) ▁years . ▁This ▁point ▁marks ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Sol ar ▁System . ▁Although ▁the ▁Sun ▁and ▁plan ets ▁may ▁surv ive , ▁the ▁Sol ar ▁System , ▁in ▁any ▁meaning ful ▁sense , ▁will ▁ce ase ▁to ▁exist . ▁ ▁Chron ology ▁ ▁The ▁time ▁frame ▁of ▁the ▁Sol ar ▁System ' s ▁formation ▁has ▁been ▁determined ▁using ▁radi ometric ▁d ating . ▁Scient ists ▁estimate ▁that ▁the ▁Sol ar ▁System ▁is ▁ 4 . 6   b ill ion ▁years ▁old . ▁The ▁oldest ▁known ▁min eral ▁gra ins ▁on ▁Earth ▁are ▁approximately ▁ 4 . 4   b ill ion ▁years ▁old . ▁Ro cks ▁this ▁old ▁are ▁rare , ▁as ▁Earth ' s ▁surface ▁is ▁constantly ▁being ▁res h aped ▁by ▁er os ion , ▁vol can ism , ▁and ▁plate ▁t ect on ics . ▁To ▁estimate ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁the ▁Sol ar ▁System , ▁scient ists ▁use ▁meteor ites , ▁which ▁were ▁formed ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁cond ens ation ▁of ▁the