Astronomers reported observations of what appeared to be a star, which had been puffing up with old age for eons, that finally got so big it engulfed a close-orbiting planet. For the first time ever, scientists capture a dying star swallowing a planet:
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — For the first time, scientists have caught a star in the act of swallowing a planet — not just a nibble or bite, but one big gulp.
“If it’s any consolation, this will happen in about 5 billion years,” said co-author Morgan MacLeod of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher Kishalay De spotted the luminous outburst in 2020 while reviewing sky scans taken by the California Institute of Technology's Palomar Observatory. It took additional observations and data-crunching to unravel the mystery: Instead of a star gobbling up its companion star, this one had devoured its planet.
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In a galactic first, star swallows planet in one big gulpScientists for the first time have caught a star in the act of swallowing a planet. And it's not just a nibble or bite, but one big gulp. Astronomers reported their observations Wednesday of what appears to be a gas giant around the size of Jupiter or bigger being eaten by its star. The sun-like star had been puffing up with old age for eons and finally got so big that it engulfed the close-orbiting planet. It's a preview of what will happen to Earth when our sun morphs into a red giant. The good news is it won't happen for 5 billion years.
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In a galactic first, star seen swallowing planet in one gulpScientists for the first time have caught a star in the act of swallowing a planet. And it's not just a nibble or bite, but one big gulp. Astronomers reported their observations Wednesday of what appears to be a gas giant around the size of Jupiter or bigger being eaten by its star. The sun-like star had been puffing up with old age for eons and finally got so big that it engulfed the close-orbiting planet. It's a preview of what will happen to Earth when our sun morphs into a red giant. The good news is it won't happen for 5 billion years.
Read more »
In a galactic first, star seen swallowing planet in one gulpIt’s a gloomy preview of what will happen to Earth when our sun morphs into a red giant and gobbles the four inner planets.
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Galactic gobble: Star swallows planet in one big gulpFor the first time, scientists have caught a star in the act of swallowing a planet — not just a nibble or bite, but one big gulp.
Read more »