Astronomers have made detailed observations of a Jupiter-like exoplanet that has lived on for billions of years after the death of its sun-like star. The exoplanet, named WD 1856 b, is located 81 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco.
Exoplanet’s Characteristics
The mass of this gas planet is about eight times greater than that of Jupiter, our solar system’s largest planet. Its atmospheric temperature is about 260 degrees Fahrenheit, which is unexpectedly warm. It orbits very close to the white dwarf, taking just 1.4 days to complete an orbit.
The researchers are trying to understand why WD 1856 b is so close to the white dwarf. There are two main competing ideas for how WD 1856 b got into the tight orbit we observe today. One proposes that the planet was engulfed by its host star during its death throes but managed to survive just outside the stellar core that became the white dwarf. The second proposes that the planet originally was far enough from the star to avoid engulfment, but that the gravitational influences of other nearby objects like the two red dwarfs later pushed it into its current orbit.
Implications for Our Solar System
The study of WD 1856 b provides insights into the potential fate of our own solar system. In about 5 billion years, our sun will begin its death throes by expanding in size and engulfing the innermost planets, possibly including Earth. The outer planets may carry on even after such trauma.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
