In a remarkable discovery, scientists have come across a new planet that defies expectations by surviving the catastrophic demise of its host star.
Typically, when stars near the end of their lives, they expand and engulf any nearby planets, including our own Earth, rendering their existence impossible.
However, this recent study provides a glimmer of hope, suggesting that some planets may evade such fate. The newfound planet, named Halla, resembles Jupiter in size and somehow managed to withstand the destructive fate of its star, Baekdu.
Astronomers stumbled upon Halla during their search and subsequent observations revealed that Baekdu had previously swelled into a red giant. During this phase, the star would have expanded to about 1.5 times the distance between itself and Halla, seemingly consuming the planet, before contracting back to its current size.
Remarkably, Halla persisted through this turbulent and violent event, defying expectations. Its tenacity allowed astronomers to detect its presence using telescopes in Hawaii, offering a unique opportunity for further study and exploration.
The discovery of Halla opens up new possibilities and challenges our understanding of planetary survival under extreme conditions, expanding our knowledge of the vast universe that surrounds us.
