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Discovery of WD 1856 b: A planet orbiting a white dwarf
Key points
- WD 1856 b is a Jupiter-size planet orbiting a white dwarf.
- The planet survived its star's transition to a white dwarf stage.
- Observations reveal an anomalous grazing transit pattern.
Background on WD 1856 b
WD 1856 b is a gas giant that orbits a white dwarf, which is the remnant of a Sun-like star that has completed its lifecycle. It was discovered unexpectedly during a search for smaller celestial bodies, such as comets and asteroids, around white dwarfs using the TESS observatory in 2020.
Recent Observations with James Webb
Astronomers have utilized the James Webb Space Telescope to examine WD 1856 b in greater detail. The observations revealed that when the planet transits in front of its white dwarf, the star's brightness dims by about half, indicating a grazing transit as only the edge of the planet is obscuring the star.
Challenges to Existing Models
The planet's orbit at approximately 0.02 AU from the white dwarf contradicts current understanding of planetary migration after a star's death. When a star becomes a red giant, conventional theory suggests it consumes inner planets, and outer planets should move outward as gravitational pull weakens when the star shrinks into a white dwarf.
Significance of the Findings
The existence of WD 1856 b provides unique insights into planetary survival during star evolution and challenges prevailing models of stellar systems. Its study could lead to a better understanding of gas giants' formations and the fate of planets in their respective systems.
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Reporting from
Astronomers have confirmed WD 1856 b as the only known planet that survived a Sun-like star's death, now scrutinized with the James Webb Space Telescope. Findings indicate its proximity and unusual transit behavior challenge existing models of stellar evolution.