Astronomers have captured stunning images of a planetary debris disk in the Helix nebula, which may hold clues to the destruction of planets around white dwarf stars. A new study suggests that WD 2226-210, a white dwarf at the center of the nebula, could be responsible for destroying a planet.
Researchers have been monitoring X-ray signals from the star for over four decades, but none have provided conclusive answers until now. The discovery may shed light on what happens to planets as stars age and potentially threaten Earth’s fate in about 5 billion years.
According to scientists, a massive object similar in size to Neptune could be orbiting the white dwarf at extremely close range. If this object is indeed being pulled into the star, it could result in catastrophic destruction of the planet.
The findings have significant implications for understanding planetary survival around stars like our sun as they reach old age. A study published in The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society provides further details on the research and its potential impact on our knowledge of celestial events.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/utterly-beautiful-destruction-planet-space-163611708.html