Astronomers catch star swallowing planet

According to a report published by Universe Today, for the first time astronomers have found evidence of a star devouring a planet during its transition from yellow dwarf to red giant, in a process that can happen to our sun.

Astronomers have noted that the giant "killer" - called BD + 48 740 and slightly older than our Sun - has large amounts of lithium, a compound not normally found in older stars.

With the mouth in the cylinder

Scientists have pointed out that the only explanation for a red giant to present this element is that it has consumed something as massive as a planet. In other words, the star-eating star was caught with his mouth on the cylinder!

Other evidence found by astronomers was a rather massive second planet - with a mass at least 1.6 times larger than Jupiter's - with a somewhat irregular elliptical orbit, probably caused by the death of the first planet.

One day our Sun should consume all the hydrogen present in its nucleus, burning its helium content after that. This will cause its core to contract and become even hotter, eventually causing an expansion that will make our star twice its current size, as well as increasing its temperature, making it a giant. red within 5 billion years.

Sources: Universe Today, DVICE, The Astrophysical Journal and Eberly College of Science