Shafaqna Science: A new study reveals that aging stars frequently destroy the giant planets in the closest orbits. Astronomers from UCL and the University of Warwick use NASA’s TESS telescope to study nearly half a million stars, finding clear evidence that many close-orbiting planets are missing around older, expanded stars.
The destruction occurs as stars exhaust their hydrogen fuel, cool down, and expand into red giants. This growth intensifies gravitational tidal forces, which slow a planet’s orbit and cause it to spiral inward. The planet is ultimately torn apart or consumed by its host star.
This discovery provides direct evidence for a long-theorized process. Researchers note that while Earth may survive the Sun’s red giant phase in billions of years, the giant planets in this study which orbit much closer do not. The study shows stars are remarkably efficient at engulfing their closest planetary companions.
Source: University College London