NASA's Webb Telescope Reveals How Exoplanet WD 1856 b Survived Its Star's Death
Summary
Astronomers using NASA's Webb Space Telescope studied exoplanet WD 1856 b, a Jupiter-sized world orbiting a white dwarf star at less than 2 million miles — well within the zone where it should have been destroyed when its star expanded into a red giant. The research suggests the planet migrated to its current location billions of years after the star became a white dwarf, surviving a process that would typically engulf nearby planets. The study provides insights into planetary system evolution and the possible fate of our own solar system.
Source
Twitter / XNASA's Webb Telescope Reveals How Exoplanet WD 1856 b Survived Its Star's Deathnews.stsci.eduKey quotes
· 3 pulledWD 1856 b is a world that shouldn't exist.
It orbits a white dwarf star at a separation of less than 2 million miles – well within the 'danger zone' where it should have been engulfed when its host star went through a red giant phase earlier in its life.
The planet likely migrated to its current location billions of years after its star became a white dwarf.
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