Astronomers Discovered Planet Around White Dwarf Star
Researchers identified a Jupiter-sized gas giant orbiting the white dwarf star HS 0209+0832.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Space
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Scientists have confirmed the presence of a second-generation gas giant orbiting the white dwarf star HS 0209+0832. The planet formed from material ejected during the star's transition into its current state.
Why it matters
This discovery provides insight into the formation of second-generation planets that emerge from material shed by stars as they evolve. It demonstrates that planetary systems can persist or reform even after a host star has exhausted its nuclear fuel.
Researchers used archival Hubble data containing 100 previously unidentified chemical features alongside four months of observations from TESS. High concentrations of niobium confirmed the star's unique chemical history.
The players
University of Warwick
This public research university in the United Kingdom is a hub for astrophysical studies and international space research collaborations.
Goddard Space Flight Center
Located in Greenbelt, Maryland, this NASA facility manages diverse satellite missions and scientific space research programs.
Space Telescope Science Institute
Based in Baltimore, Maryland, this institute operates the science programs for the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes.
The details
The gas giant, roughly the size of Jupiter, orbits the white dwarf at a distance of 3.7 million miles. Periodic brightness variations recorded by TESS sensors helped experts pinpoint the planet after re-evaluating chemical data originally collected by Hubble.
Timeline
Hubble first observed the star HS 0209+0832 in 1999.
The study was published in Nature Astronomy in October 2026.
Deeper Dive
This research follows a pattern set by the FUSE mission's spectroscopic stellar surveys in identifying rare elements within white dwarf atmospheres. It marks a significant shift in understanding how planetary materials are redistributed after a star's death.
This discovery informs future modeling of how planetary systems evolve as stars reach the end of their lifespans. It broadens the criteria for where scientists might look for signs of planetary formation outside of standard stellar evolution patterns.
The takeaway
The study confirms that planets can successfully form or remain in orbit following the violent transition of a star into a white dwarf. This suggests that planetary systems are more resilient to stellar aging processes than previously theorized.
Further reading
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