A groundbreaking study examining 91 pairs of stars has unveiled a startling revelation: approximately 8% of these celestial duos, or one in 12, have devoured planets at some point in their existence.
Researchers embarked on this investigation to shed light on the phenomenon of planetary ingestion by stars, which has long been theorized but not thoroughly understood. By scrutinizing twin stars—born from the same parent cloud of gas and dust—they aimed to identify any significant differences in chemical composition between these co-natal siblings, indicative of planet consumption by one of the stars.
Utilizing data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia satellite, scientists pinpointed 91 pairs of stars situated within close proximity—less than a million astronomical units apart. Employing advanced spectroscopic analysis techniques with telescopes such as the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, the Magellan Telescope, and the Keck Telescope, they examined the elemental compositions of these stellar pairs.
Remarkably, approximately 8% of the observed star pairs exhibited chemical signatures suggesting the ingestion of planets by one of the stars, highlighting the prevalence of this phenomenon in the cosmos.
Study co-author Yuan-Sen Ting of the Australian National University expressed astonishment at the frequency of planetary ingestion, implying that stable planetary systems akin to our own solar system might not be as common as previously believed. This revelation provides a deeper understanding of our place in the universe and the dynamic nature of planetary systems.
While our own sun is predicted to engulf closely orbiting planets in its red giant phase billions of years from now, the stars examined in this study were in the prime of their lives, indicating that planetary ingestion occurs during the normal lifespan of star systems. This raises intriguing questions about the mechanisms behind such events, including the possibility of rogue planets colliding with stars.
Despite the implications of potential instability in planetary systems, Ting reassures that our solar system, at least in the short term, remains unaffected. However, the findings underscore the dynamic nature of the cosmos and the ongoing quest to unravel its mysteries.
In summary, the study offers valuable insights into the prevalence of planetary ingestion by stars and its implications for our understanding of planetary system dynamics on both local and cosmic scales.
