2nd-generation planet: Was this world born around a dead star?
Astronomers might have found a new 2nd-generation planet orbiting a white dwarf star. It could also help answer a "cold case" mystery about the white dwarf. The post 2nd-generation planet: Was this world born around a dead star? first appeared on EarthSky .
Astronomers have detected a possible 2nd-generation planet orbiting the white dwarf star HS 0209+0832, potentially solving a mystery surrounding the star's composition. Planets typically form from the disks of dust and gas surrounding newborn stars, known as 1st-generation planets. However, 2nd-generation planets can also form from the material ejected by dying stars.
This discovery, made using data from the Hubble Space Telescope, could provide insight into the "cold case" of HS 0209+0832. The star's unusually high levels of niobium in its atmosphere suggest the presence of a planet that formed after the star died, marking a new chapter in the star's life story.
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