New York (Web Desk) — Astronomers have identified a planet that may have formed from material ejected by a dying star. According to scientists, it could be the first possible second-generation planet of its kind orbiting a white dwarf, or dead star.
According to research led by Jamie Williams, a PhD student at the University of Warwick, second-generation planets form from material expelled into space at the end of a star’s life.
Jamie Williams said the existence of such planets is extremely rare, while their presence around white dwarfs is considered unexpected. He said the situation is somewhat like a planet being reborn from the “ashes” of the star it once orbited.
Previously, astronomers had also found evidence of possible reborn planets around pulsars, which are extremely powerful dead stars. However, this is the first possible observation of such a planet around a white dwarf.
Scientists say that if further observations confirm the discovery, current estimates regarding the possible number of second-generation planets in the universe may need to be revised.