The study of the unusual object WD 0816-310 emphasized the role of magnetic fields in the distribution of the remains of absorbed planets
Astronomers have noticed a special mark on a white dwarf located in our galaxy. After conducting more detailed observations, scientists suggest that this trace may be the remnant of a destroyed planet swallowed up by a star.
The star being studied — white dwarf WD 0816-310. It represents a super-dense «dead» a star located just 63 light years from Earth. The peculiarity of this white dwarf attracted the attention of scientists, since fragments of absorbed planets and asteroids were expected to be evenly distributed across its surface.
However, detailed observations showed otherwise — The white dwarf has a “scar” running across its entire surface. Researchers suggest that the remains of one of the consumed «meals» the stars are held in place by the white dwarf's magnetic fields.
White dwarfs — these are «extinct» stars similar to our Sun, which at the end of their life cycle expand and absorb the planets of their systems. This fate likely awaits our Sun, which could ultimately lead to the destruction of the Earth.
The discovery of the trail on the star is of particular interest because it changes our understanding of the way white dwarfs distribute the material they absorb. Using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, scientists were able to observe the white dwarf for two months, and they noticed that the trail corresponded to changes in its magnetic field.
According to the study, it is believed that the star directs material towards its magnetic fields, which leaves a trace that was discovered by astronomers. These observations significantly change the understanding of the behavior of white dwarfs and their interactions with surrounding objects.