A star nearing the end of its life swelled up and absorbed a Jupiter-size planet. In about 5 billion years, our Sun will go through a similar end-of-life transition. In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers observed an aging star consuming a planet for the first time, providing insights into ou
Earth will meet a similar fate in 5 billion years. As a star runs out of fuel, it will billow out to a million times its original size, engulfing any matter and planets in its wake. Scientists have observed hints of stars just before, and shortly after, the act of consuming entire planets, but
This artist's impression shows an extinct planet transiting the surface of its star. Astronomers using a combination of telescopes have found the first
This artist's impression shows a doomed planet peeling off the surface of its star. Astronomers used an array of telescopes to discover the first direct