Researchers observe planetary bodies for first time in habitable zone of dead star 

London [England], February 12 : White dwarfs are glowing embers of stars that have burned through all their hydrogen fuel. Nearly all stars, including the Sun, will eventually become white dwarfs, but very little is known about their planetary systems. A new study revealed the discovery of a ring of planetary debris studded with moon-sized structures has been observed orbiting close to a white dwarf star.

The study, published in 'Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society', hinted at a nearby planet in the "habitable zone" where water and life could exist. It was led by UCL researchers.

In the study, an international team of researchers measured light from a white dwarf in the Milky Way known as WD1054-226, using data from ground- and space-based telescopes.

To their surprise, they found pronounced dips in light corresponding to 65 evenly spaced clouds of planetary debris orbiting the star every 25 hours. The researchers concluded that the precise regularity of the transiting structures - dimming the star's light every 23 minutes - suggests they are kept in such a precise arrangement by a nearby planet.

Lead author Professor Jay Farihi (UCL Physics & Astronomy) said, "This is the first-time astronomers have detected any kind of planetary body in the habitable zone of a white dwarf.

"The moon-sized structures we have observed are irregular and dusty (e.g. comet-like) rather than solid, spherical bodies. Their absolute regularity, one passing in front of the star every 23 minutes, is a mystery we cannot currently explain," he continued.

"An exciting possibility is that these bodies are kept in such an evenly-spaced orbital pattern because of the gravitational influence of a nearby planet. Without this influence, friction and collisions would cause the structures to disperse, losing the precise regularity that is observed. A precedent for this 'shepherding' is the way the gravitational pull of moons around Neptune and Saturn help to create stable ring structures orbiting these planets," he added.

"The possibility of a planet in the habitable zone is exciting and also unexpected; we were not looking for this. However, it is important to keep in mind that more evidence is necessary to confirm the presence of a planet. We cannot observe the planet directly so confirmation may come by comparing computer models with further observations of the star and orbiting debris," he said.

( Details and picture courtesy ANI, the content is auto-generated from feed.)

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