9/17/2023 0 Comments Miniplanet 2![]() ![]() Kepler is currently engaged in its K2 mission of monitoring distant stars and looking for signs of planets around them. ![]() "For the last decade we've suspected that white dwarf stars were feeding on the remains of rocky objects, and this result may be the smoking gun we're looking for," NASA staff scientist Fergal Mullally said. Kepler was able to pick up a regular dimming of the light coming from the white dwarf, indicating the presence of the planetesimal, which showed signs of breaking up in its orbit. This sequence was taken with Hubbles Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 between November 28 and December 1, 1994, when Vesta was at a distance of 156 million. It orbits the white dwarf every 4.5 hours, which means it's dangerously up close and personal with the dying star. The "mini planet" described by NASA is more accurately called a planetesimal, which is a small object made up of dust, rock and other space debris. Like the other two bodies, she also spiralled her way inwards and swept up. "We are for the first time witnessing a miniature 'planet' ripped apart by intense gravity, being vaporized by starlight and raining rocky material onto its star," said Andrew Vanderburg, lead author of a paper on the findings that was published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. Mini-planet Esther Very fortunately for us, the Earth and moon between them. See a supersonic jet's shock waves in mind-bending NASA images.Surface of Pluto is totally bonkers in new NASA images. ![]()
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