NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery that challenges astronomers’ previous understanding of a cosmic event dubbed ZTF SLRN-2020. Initially, scientists believed the phenomenon was caused by a star swallowing its planet, but new data suggests otherwise.
In 2020, astronomers noticed a spike in optical light from a specific region in our galaxy over about 10 days. The intensity of this light faded within six months. Further investigation revealed that infrared light emissions from the same area had increased dramatically in the seven months preceding the optical signal – a trend that persisted for more than a year.
These findings indicate that ZTF SLRN-2020 might not be related to a star consuming its planet, but rather a planet spiraling into its own sun. This revolutionary discovery sheds new light on the complex and often mysterious events occurring in our galaxy.
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/jwst-spots-remains-of-alien-planet-that-fell-into-a-star