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New planet may have formed from dead star's remains

Scientists may have discovered the first "phoenix" planet, a world potentially born from the remnants of a dead star. This finding, if confirmed, would provide the first observational evidence for a theoretical process of second-generation planet formation.

Astronomers found evidence for this planet in the atmosphere of a white dwarf star, the dense core left after a star like our sun dies. While white dwarfs typically have atmospheres of hydrogen and helium, many are "polluted" with heavier elements like silicon and iron, likely from shattered planets the star consumed.

The white dwarf HS 0209+0832, however, showed an unusual abundance of niobium, a rare metal formed in a slow process within dying red giant stars. This suggests the niobium originated from a planet rich in elements created during its star's death.

Researchers propose that material ejected from a dying star could have coalesced into a new planet. This new planet, rich in s-process elements, could then have been slowly consumed by the resulting white dwarf, leaving its atmosphere enriched.

Further observations using the TESS space telescope revealed the white dwarf's brightness changes with a period of about 4.4 days. This variation is consistent with a gas giant planet orbiting very close to the star, approximately 6 million kilometers away.

While the existence of a planet is the most plausible explanation, scientists acknowledge uncertainty. The discovery suggests that planetary systems might have a second life even after their stars perish.

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