Do planets rob their stars of metals?
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 - 11:01
in Astronomy & Space
t has been known for several years that stars hosting planets are generally more rich in elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, known in astronomy as metals. These heavy elements help to form the cores of the forming planets and accelerate the formation process. However,a new study has helped to suggest that the opposite may also be true: Planets may make their host stars less metal rich than they should otherwise be.