Planet risen from a star's 'ashes' discovered by scientists
Astronomers have discovered a new type of exoplanet — a second-generation planet formed from material ejected by a dying star. The object orbits the white dwarf HS 0209+0832, located 270 light-years from Earth. The planet is comparable in size to Jupiter, with an orbital period of 4.4 days. This is the first detection of such a planet around a white dwarf.
Astronomers have discovered a new, previously unknown type of exoplanet — a so-called second-generation planet that formed from material ejected by a star in the late stages of its life. The object orbits the white dwarf HS 0209+0832, located about 270 light-years from Earth. Analysis of the white dwarf's atmosphere revealed an unusually high content of heavy elements, including zinc, copper, and niobium — the latter never before found in white dwarfs. Scientists believe these substances may have been synthesized inside the star during its red giant phase, then became building material for the forming planet. Observations revealed a regular dimming of the white dwarf, indicating a planet passing in front of its disk. The planet's size is roughly comparable to Jupiter, and it completes an orbit around the star in about 4.4 days. Due to its extremely close orbit, the planet is subjected to intense radiation, which likely gradually destroys its atmosphere. The elemental ratios in the system correspond to the s-process — reactions occurring in the interiors of red giants. Second-generation planets have previously been found around other stellar remnants, such as pulsars, but this is the first time such an object has been discovered around a white dwarf.