Astronomers discover White Dwarf Star consuming frozen planetesimal – Here is what research reveals

A distant white dwarf star has been observed consuming a frozen, Pluto-like world rich in ice and volatile materials. Astronomers have detected nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur and carbon in the remnants. This confirm that icy, water-bearing bodies exist far beyond our own Solar System. This finding may reshape our understanding of what can survive after a star’s death.

• What does evidence show? 

This star, which is several hundred light-years away, has been studied with space-based telescopes for more than a decade. Evidence shows that the icy object has been steadily feeding material into the star for at least thirteen years. Astronomers identified unusually high concentrations of volatile elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, sulphur and oxygen, within the white dwarf’s atmosphere.

The nitrogen content was measured at about 5%. This is the highest yet recorded in such debris, while oxygen levels were far higher than would be expected if the material were purely rocky. This chemical imprint points towards the destruction of an ice-rich body.

• How large was the object?

Researchers estimated the object was at least three kilometres across, though it could have been up to fifty kilometres in size. Its water-to-rock ratio of roughly 2.5 shows it was dominated by ice, with an estimated 64% of its bulk made up of water.

• What this finding reveals? 

This finding reveals volatile-rich worlds beyond our Solar System and provides the first clear proof of a white dwarf consuming an icy planetesimal. It might have been captured from interstellar space or born locally. The detection of essential elements necessary for the chemistry of life was made possible by ultraviolet spectroscopy.