NASA · Space

Astronomers Find Clue to Second-Generation Planet

Astronomers have uncovered a chemical clue suggesting a white dwarf star may host a second-generation planet, formed from the remnants of its host star.

The white dwarf star HS 0209+0832 shows a surprising chemical composition. This indicates that a potential planet orbiting it may have formed from gas and dust cast off by the star after its initial formation.

White dwarfs are the dense cores of stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel. The material shed by these stars can form new celestial bodies, leading to planets with different chemical makeups than those formed during the star's primary life cycle.

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