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6 clusters · 44 sources · 10 days · First seen 22 days ago · Last updated 12 days ago

Discovery of potential second-generation white dwarf planet

Overview

Astronomers have identified a potential ‘second-generation’ gas giant planet orbiting the white dwarf HS 0209+0832, located approximately 270 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cetus. This candidate, referred to as a ‘phoenix planet,’ appears to have condensed from debris expelled by the star during its final evolutionary stages, rather than forming alongside the star’s initial birth.

Initial analysis of data from the Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s TESS satellite revealed unusual chemical signatures in the white dwarf's atmosphere. These signatures include high concentrations of niobium, copper, and zinc, with niobium appearing over 1,000 times more abundant than in the Sun. Subsequent research utilizing the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and a re-examination of data from Hubble, FUSE, and the Very Large Telescope has provided further context. This investigation resolved a 27-year mystery regarding spectral lines first captured in 1999. The findings confirm the presence of high levels of niobium, zinc, and copper, while noting a lack of iron and silicon in the star's atmosphere.

In a study published in Nature Astronomy, researchers led by Jamie Williams from the University of Warwick noted that the presence of niobium—an element that typically forms during a star's death—serves as a key indicator. New evidence suggests the white dwarf may be consuming material from a nearby giant planet formed from the star's former outer layers. Supporting this theory is a repeating 4.4-day brightness cycle. Recent re-analysis of archival Hubble data and TESS satellite observations suggests this theoretical planet may be similar in size to Jupiter and orbits the white dwarf at a distance of approximately 6 million kilometers. If confirmed, this would represent the first observed case of a second-generation planet orbiting a white dwarf, offering critical insights into the potential future of our own solar system as the Sun evolves.

Entities

University of Warwick · HS 0209+0832 · Hubble Space Telescope · NASA · Nature Astronomy

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The presence of niobium in the light of the white dwarf HS 0209+0832 indicates the star has undergone a death process.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The white dwarf HS 0209+0832 is contaminated by its own ash.
[○ 1 SOURCE] There is a candidate for a second-generation planet formed from the debris of the white dwarf HS 0209+0832.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The James Webb Space Telescope was used to study 21 extreme debris disk systems.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Extreme debris disk systems are rare, belonging to only about one percent of stars.

Timeline

12 days ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
Astronomers discover potential second-generation planet orbiting white dwarf
Astronomers have discovered evidence of a second-generation planet orbiting a white dwarf and identified stars with unusual colors caused by planetary debris and chemical compositions.
17 days ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
Astronomers reveal new details of supernova remnants and potential second-generation planets
Astronomers reveal new details of the Pa 30 supernova remnant and investigate the potential existence of a second-generation planet orbiting the white dwarf HS 0209+0832.
17 days ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
Astronomers discover atmospheric depletion on super-Earth and potential second-generation planet
Astronomers study the atmospheric depletion of the super-Earth LHS 1140b and find evidence of a possible second-generation planet orbiting the white dwarf HS 0209+0832.
19 days ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 10 sources
Astronomers discover phoenix planet orbiting white dwarf HS 0209+0832
Astronomers have discovered a potential ‘phoenix planet’ orbiting the white dwarf HS 0209+0832, formed from the heavy elements expelled by its dying star.
19 days ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
Astronomers investigate unique exoplanet formation and atmospheric signals
Astronomers study two exoplanets: HS 0209+0832, a potential ‘second-generation’ planet formed from a dead star, and LHS 1140b, which shows signs of a secondary atmosphere in a habitable zone.
22 days ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 27 sources
Astronomers discover potential second-generation planet orbiting white dwarf
Astronomers have discovered a potential second-generation planet orbiting the white dwarf HS 0209+0832, likely formed from the debris of its dying parent star.

Sources

abc17news.com · brasilemfolhas.com.br · dailytimes.com.pk · ecuadoruniversitario.com · elbuentono.com.mx · eldiariodemadryn.com · elsumario.com · en.protothema.gr · face.ba · finance.technews.tw · hellomagyar.hu · independent.co.uk · keyt.com · knowridge.com · kosmonautix.cz · lacronicadebadajoz.elperiodicoextremadura.com · ladbible.com · larepublica.pe · m.takvim.com.tr · mannheim24.de · media.inaf.it · merkur-online.de · metro.co.uk · mreza.bug.hr · n1info.rs · newsbytesapp.com · nextme.it · nlcafe.hu · noticiabrasil.net.br · nypost.com · olhardigital.com.br · pozitivni-zpravy.cz · presse-citron.net · raillynews.com · rayhaber.com · rtpbolivia.com.bo · sciencealert.com · scitechdaily.com · secretchina.com · studenti.it · thebrighterside.news · time.news · veja.abril.com.br · yourweather.co.uk

This summary has been updated 7 times: see revision history