From LADbible · · 1m 10s
Scientists find 'phoenix planet' from dead star
Scientists discover a planet reborn from a dead star's ashes.
In brief
Scientists discover a planet reborn from a dead star's ashes. Scientists found a 'phoenix planet' made from a dead star's material orbiting a white dwarf, suggesting second-generation planets can form after stars die. Originally reported by LADbible.
Quick answers
- Why so rare?
- Forming a protoplanetary disc around a white dwarf is difficult, requiring a companion star to pull material back into orbit.
- What happens next?
- Scientists may find more phoenix planets orbiting white dwarfs, and the Solar System could host a second-generation planet.
- What is the key takeaway from Scientists find 'phoenix planet' from dead star?
- Scientists found a 'phoenix planet' made from a dead star's material orbiting a white dwarf, suggesting second-generation planets can form after stars die.
Scientists discover 'phoenix planet'
A team from the University of Warwick found a 'phoenix planet' made from a dead star's ashes orbiting a white dwarf.
“Second-generation planets are worlds that form out of the material a star casts off as it dies.”
White dwarf HS 0209+0832
The white dwarf star HS 0209+0832 has an unusual chemical signature in its atmosphere, detected by NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope.
Elements indicate star death
Astronomers found zinc, copper, and niobium in the star's atmosphere, elements that signal a dead star.
Phoenix planet formed from star death
The planet likely formed from material shed by the star as it died, creating a second-generation world.
Why so rare?
Forming a protoplanetary disc around a white dwarf is difficult, requiring a companion star to pull material back into orbit.
What happens next?
Scientists may find more phoenix planets orbiting white dwarfs, and the Solar System could host a second-generation planet.
The one thing
Scientists found a 'phoenix planet' made from a dead star's material orbiting a white dwarf, suggesting second-generation planets can form after stars die.
