Astronomers have identified the fastest disintegrating exoplanet observed to date, a discovery made possible by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The planet BD+05 4868 Ab, located approximately 141 light-years from Earth, is being eroded at an extraordinary rate due to intense bombardment from its host star, BD+05 4868 A. The planet is losing mass equivalent to that of Earth’s moon every million years and is on track to vanish entirely, marking it as a rare find for the scientific community.
Insights from the Study
As reported by space.com, according to findings presented by a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), BD+05 4868 Ab is among the closest disintegrating exoplanets to be observed. Its unique condition provides researchers with a rare opportunity to examine the internal structure of rocky planets as their material is expelled into space. These insights were detailed during the 245th American Astronomical Society meeting in Maryland.
Marc Hon, a postdoctoral associate at MIT and leader of the research, highlighted to space.com the significance of this observation, describing the planet’s massive dust trails. These trails extend approximately 9 million kilometres and consist of two distinct sections, formed by varying sizes of dust grains. Hon added that the transit signal caused by this trail blocks 1 percent of the star’s light, lasting 15 hours.
Future Research Using JWST
The research, conducted alongside scientists from Pennsylvania State University, aims to deepen understanding of planetary disintegration. Penn State’s team has previously employed similar techniques to study another disintegrating exoplanet, K2-22b. Jason Wright, a professor of astronomy at Penn State, noted that BD+05 4868 Ab offers an exceptional opportunity due to the brightness of its host star, which is 100 times brighter than those of previously studied disintegrating planets.
Efforts are now underway to leverage the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to study BD+05 4868 Ab in greater detail. The findings could illuminate the composition of such planets, offering a groundbreaking perspective on planetary interiors beyond the solar system.
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