Dead Planets Orbiting a Dead Star
· universetoday.com · popularity 35/100 · 0 similar stories today · Space & Astronomy (Space & Astronomy)
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Summary
When a star like our Sun reaches its end, it becomes a kind of zombie star called a white dwarf. These bodies have left fusion behind and will radiate only remnant heat for a long, long time. Before they become white dwarfs, they expand, engulf, and destroy any nearby planets. Astronomers have spotted a debris disk around a white dwarf, made from the dust of destroyed planets. Observations show that two new resurrected planets have formed in this disk, creating dead planets orbiting a dead star.
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