NASA's Hubble Captures Carnage Of A White Dwarf Devouring A Pluto-Sized Object
Hubble has captured a dense, burned-out star in the act of consuming a Pluto-like object. Happening some 260 light years from Earth, the new observation, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, revealed a white dwarf, the stellar corpse of a Sun-like star, feasting on a planetary fragment torn from its own system's outer reaches.
With the aid of Hubble’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, the research team analyzed the chemical makeup of the debris spiraling onto the white dwarf and the resulting "carnage" was nothing short of surprising. The fragments were found to be rich in volatile substances, including carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, and a high concentration of water ice. The presence of water ice, a key component of our solar system's icy dwarf planets, was particularly significant. The team calculated that the debris was composed of roughly 64% water ice, suggesting its origin as a massive, icy body, a.k.a. exo-Pluto.
Further strengthening the case is the detection of nitrogen. The amount of nitrogen found in the stellar debris set a new record for observations of this kind, aligning perfectly with what is known about Pluto's own nitrogen-rich surface.
The study, led by lead analyst Snehalata Sahu of the University of Warwick, challenges previous assumptions about how planetary systems evolve as their central stars die. Sahu commented that "we did not expect to find water or other icy content. This is because the comets and Kuiper Belt-like objects are thrown out of their planetary systems early, as their stars evolve into white dwarfs. But here, we are detecting this very volatile-rich material. This is surprising for astronomers studying white dwarfs as well as exoplanets, planets outside our solar system."
The dazzling observation was only possible due to Hubble's unique sensitivity to ultraviolet light. While the white dwarf would appear unremarkable in visible light, the ultraviolet spectrum revealed the chemical trail of the debris. Scientists now hope to use the James Webb Space Telescope to conduct follow-up observations with its infrared hardware, which could provide even more insights into the chemical processes at play.
