Star Swallows Planet: A Cosmic First Witnessed by Astronomers

Written by : Shreya Raghuvanshi

[{"selector":"#anim-8e450961-b1b6-42d9-a791-00ea9d7b57db [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Historic event: Astronomers witness star devouring planet, a cosmic first.

[{"selector":"#anim-7c1a63db-125f-4697-ae8d-404fe0149a60 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Occurred 1,500 light-years away, in the constellation Cetus.

[{"selector":"#anim-1ef8a54b-20bd-4a32-af76-7ec32f032c3a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Star, VVV-WIT-08, grew 10,000 times brighter during the event.

[{"selector":"#anim-006292e3-57de-4c3b-9cec-4b6f7ca9bdb9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Theorized Roche limit: Planet disintegrated as it neared the star.

[{"selector":"#anim-623bb775-7838-4c40-ac28-90151b8d1bfc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.0658141036401503e-14%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Observations suggest planet was gas giant, similar to Jupiter.

[{"selector":"#anim-9bd71814-6233-4ea6-ab31-11148a4bd6ba [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Discovery challenges our understanding of star-planet interactions.

[{"selector":"#anim-978a9ccf-7352-4e27-89ba-a8666b4d5040 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Event may provide insight into the future fate of our solar system.

[{"selector":"#anim-e912583d-7364-4907-8d16-120d6804d7fc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Researchers used data from various telescopes, including Kepler.

[{"selector":"#anim-18abf349-10a9-4cdc-b11f-a8610f5268e9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Study paves way for further investigation into similar phenomena.