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Astronomers discover possible second-generation planet
New York Post • • science
Key Points:
- Scientists have found possible evidence of a second-generation planet orbiting the white dwarf star HS 0209+0832, located about 270 light years from Earth, based on chemical signatures detected in data from NASA’s Hubble Telescope.
- The planet, roughly the size of Jupiter, is believed to have formed from stellar material ejected by the dying white dwarf, unlike typical planets that form during a star's birth.
- Researchers identified heavy elements like niobium around the star, which are only created in the extreme conditions of dying stars, supporting the theory of a planet formed from the star’s expelled gases.
- A 4.4-day brightness cycle observed may correspond to temperature variations on a massive planet orbiting very close to the white dwarf, at about 0.04 Astronomical Units.
- While the planet’s existence is not yet confirmed, scientists suggest it could survive and remain in a stable habitable zone for millions to billions of years as the white dwarf cools, potentially outlasting Earth’s habitability.
