As far as fairytales go, dwarfs can be Bashful, Sleepy, Grumpy or Dopey. But in space, dwarfs might be better called Hungry, according to a pair of studies published Monday in Nature Astronomy<\/i>.<\/p>\n
These are dwarf stars, of course. Some dwarf stars are small, dim stars that can be orbited by other dwarf stars or planets. Our own sun<\/a> is a yellow dwarf star; other types include orange and red dwarfs. White, brown<\/a> and (if proven to exist) blue dwarfs are the dead remnants of stars or failed stars. Understanding these stars and their remains is key to unlocking the history of galaxies\u2014and planets.<\/p>\n In the new research, scientists describe two dwarf stars\u2014one red dwarf and one white dwarf<\/a>\u2014seemingly acting out: eating the objects that orbit them.<\/p>\n If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing<\/a>. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.<\/p>\n The observations \u201cseek to understand the effect stars have on the planets that they host,\u201d says Jamie Williams, lead author of one of the studies<\/a> and a Ph.D. student at the University of Warwick in England.<\/p>\n \u201cThe key takeaway is that planets don\u2019t exist in isolation, but their evolution is directly tied to the star they orbit,\u201d he says. \u201cIn order to understand the life of planets, we must understand star-planet interactions.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the studies found a white dwarf with unusual chemical composition\u2014a clue that the dwarf was consuming a planet that had formed after its sun’s death.<\/p>\n Snehalata Sahu<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Williams and his colleagues observed a white dwarf that showed some unusual chemical signatures, including zinc, copper and niobium. At the same time, the star\u2019s brightness seemed to dim periodically, suggesting an orbiting planet. Together, the results suggest the planet formed after the star had died<\/a> and that its atmosphere is now feeding the white dwarf.<\/p>\n The finding suggests \u201cplanetary systems can experience a rebirth,\u201d a phenomenon astronomers haven\u2019t observed in our solar system before, Williams says.<\/p>\nOn supporting science journalism<\/h2>\n
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