Chinese astronomers find planets that somehow avoided death by red giant stars
When a star like our sun grows old, it puffs up into a red giant that can gobble up its nearest planets. But Chinese astronomers say they have found three solar systems where planets should have been eaten this way yet somehow survived – a puzzle that could change how scientists picture Earth’s distant future. Using Nasa’s TESS space telescope, a team led by Qian Shengbang from Yunnan University…
Chinese astronomers have discovered three solar systems where planets, contrary to expectations, survived being engulfed by ageing red giant stars. Using NASA's TESS space telescope, a team led by Qian Shengbang from Yunnan University found Jupiter-like planets orbiting ageing stars in the northern sky that defied conventional wisdom.
One planet circles 24 Boötis, a star 300 light years away, at an orbit closer than Mercury's to our sun. When a star like our sun matures, it expands into a red giant, potentially swallowing nearby planets. Qian said that once a star burns through its hydrogen core and expands, any nearby planet faces destruction or being dragged into the star by its gravity.
The discovery of these three planets suggests that common physics may be at work, allowing some planets to survive. In about 5 billion years, our sun will turn into a red giant, likely engulfing Earth. However, this study indicates the fate of our solar system, including Earth, might be more intricate than previously thought.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
