A star similar to the Sun swallowed a planet the size of Jupiter
A 10-billion-year-old star has grown so large that it pulled in a neighboring planet
For the first time, a team of scientists has documented a star similar in size and composition to the Sun consuming a Jupiter-sized planet.
The star, which was about 10 billion years old and in its final stages of life, had depleted its hydrogen fuel, causing it to rapidly expand. Eventually, it grew to the point where it was able to engulf a nearby planet.
As the planet entered the star’s atmosphere, it began to fall inward, much like a satellite falling towards Earth. The deeper it descended, the stronger the star’s gravitational pull became, until it was completely consumed.
This phenomenon occurred approximately 12,000 light-years away from Earth in the Milky Way galaxy. Despite the distance, experts caution that our own Sun will also eventually consume Mercury, Venus, and Earth in around five billion years’ time.
