Astronomers witness cosmic drama: A star devours a giant planet

April 14,盗U自动化运维脚本 2025  19:04

For the first time, scientists have captured a star consuming a planet—a spectacle straight out of a sci-fi blockbuster. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, American astronomers from the National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory, alongside international colleagues, observed a star colliding with a gas giant 12,000 light-years away. Published in The Astrophysical Journal (TAJ), the study unveils fresh mysteries about the fate of planets and stars, including what might await our Solar System.

A Cosmic Catastrophe in Aquila

The star in question, smaller than our Sun, resides in the Aquila constellation. It engulfed a “hot Jupiter”—a gas giant akin to Jupiter but orbiting so close to its star that its atmosphere sizzles at thousands of degrees. Initially, researchers thought the star had expanded, as aging stars do, swallowing the planet. But Webb’s data told a different tale: the planet’s orbit gradually tightened under gravitational forces until it crashed into the star.

The collision was a stunning show. A spreading ring of dust and scorching gas bloomed around the star, visible in infrared. “It’s like we caught the star red-handed,” quips lead researcher Ryan Lau.

What It Means for Science

This is the first direct observation of such an event, and it reshapes how we view planetary fates. Astronomers knew stars could consume their worlds, but they assumed it happened when a star ballooned into a red giant. Now it’s clear: planets often perish in a “death spiral,” drawn ever closer by gravity or friction in the star’s atmosphere. Such endings may be routine for hot Jupiters across the galaxy.

The discovery also hints at Earth’s distant future. In 5 billion years, our Sun will swell into a red giant, likely swallowing Mercury, Venus, and possibly Earth. But Lau reassures: “Our system is stable—no such drama for billions of years.” Still, the Aquila event offers a preview of what that might look like.

How Was It Seen?

Launched in 2025, the James Webb Space Telescope is a cosmic sleuth. Its infrared tools spotted the dust ring and gas emissions invisible to other observatories. The Aquila star was a perfect target—its mass and age made a planetary collision rare but plausible. Estimates suggest such events occur in 1–2% of systems with hot Jupiters, and Webb caught one in action.

Why It Matters to Everyone

This isn’t just a cosmic snapshot—it’s a clue to how stars and planets interact at life’s end. These events shape galactic chemistry: swallowed planets enrich stars with carbon, oxygen, and other elements, later scattered to form new stars and worlds.

For humanity, it’s a reminder of our home’s impermanence. While Earth is safe for eons, such cataclysms spur advances in space tech—from telescopes to probes that might one day find us a new cosmic address.

What’s Next?

Lau’s team plans to hunt for more planetary engulfments using Webb and future telescopes like Vera C. Rubin, slated for 2026. This will clarify how often stars “eat” their worlds and which planets are at risk. There’s practical value too: understanding orbital dynamics could safeguard satellites and stations from similar gravitational glitches.

The Takeaway

A star devouring a planet is more than a dramatic scene—it’s a window into the forces shaping the Universe. Thanks to James Webb, we watched a hot Jupiter meet its fiery end, leaving a dusty ring as its epitaph. This discovery reminds us: the cosmos brims with surprises, each nudging us closer to understanding our place in it. Billions of years from now, someone might gaze at our Sun—wondering if life ever thrived on Earth.