Hubble Data Reveals Evidence of a Planet Born from a Dead Star's Remains

Astronomers revisiting archival observations from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have found evidence suggesting a second-generation planet orbiting the white dwarf star HS 0209+0832. The discovery, detailed in a study published in Nature Astronomy, indicates that the planet may have formed from material expelled by the dying star, offering a new perspective on planetary formation. Unusually high levels of niobium and other chemical abundances were detected around the white dwarf, with additional support from NASA's TESS mission showing repeating brightness changes consistent with a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting closely.