Recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have led astronomers to propose a groundbreaking theory: a Jupiter-sized planet self-destructed while heading into its parent star. Previously, the only known mechanism for planetary consumption was when stars expand into red giants. The discovery, made in conjunction with the Gemini South observatory, reveals that the star was still in its hydrogen-fusing main sequence phase, bringing the scenario of a "planetary suicide" into reality, marking an unprecedented finding in the astrophysical community.
The observations indicate the possible self-destruction of a Jupiter-sized planet as it headed toward its parent star, marking the first recorded instance of "planetary suicide."
This nova is the most convincing direct detection of a planet being consumed by its host star, highlighting a scenario previously confined to science fiction.
Collection
[
|
...
]