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A giant star has been caught in the act of swallowing three planets, one after the other, with each "meal" accompanied by a massive eruption.
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994172
A giant star has been caught in the act of swallowing three planets, one after the other, with each "meal" accompanied by a massive eruption.
A giant star has been caught in the act of swallowing three planets, one after the other, with each "meal" accompanied by a massive eruption.
A giant star is a type of star that is significantly larger and brighter than a typical star, often with a diameter several times that of the sun. These stars are also much hotter and have shorter lifespans than smaller stars.
The discovery was made using data from NASA's Kepler space telescope. Scientists were able to observe the star dimming as it passed in front of the telescope, indicating that it had swallowed three planets.
As a giant star reaches the end of its life cycle, it expands and becomes unstable. This can cause it to engulf nearby planets as it grows in size, ultimately leading to its eventual collapse.
Yes, there have been several other instances of giant stars swallowing planets that have been observed by scientists. This phenomenon is not uncommon in the later stages of a star's life.
Studying the interactions between giant stars and planets can provide insight into the evolution and fate of both stars and planets. This discovery also adds to our understanding of the diversity of planetary systems in the universe.