Published in Nature · View the paper (DOI)
For most of its life, a Sun-like star fuses hydrogen into helium in its hot core, causing it to expand and engulf nearby planets. The first direct evidence of this event was observed using the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager, revealing a long-lasting outburst with ejected material containing about 33 Earth masses of hydrogen.
Coverage from 2 institutions
- Astronomers witness star devouring planet: possible preview of the ultimate fate of Earth Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) · May 3, 2023 · first to report
- In a first, astronomers spot a star swallowing a planet Massachusetts Institute of Technology · May 3, 2023