News Astronomy

This planetary remnant somehow survived the death of its sun

A rare rocky relic orbiting a white dwarf may give insight into the future of our solar system

planetesimal

PLUCKY PLANETESIMAL  The small, dense remnant of a planet (illustrated) survived the collapse of its sun into a white dwarf, and is now skirting the dead star with a calcium gas stream (yellow) trailing behind it, researchers report.

Mark Garlick/Univ. of Warwick

By Maria Temming

- More than 2 years ago

Against all odds, a small planetary body called a planetesimal has survived the infernal death of its sunlike star and now orbits the white dwarf that remains.