Dead stars 'polluted' with planetary debris: Signs of Earth-like planets found
Thursday, May 9, 2013 - 12:00
in Astronomy & Space
Astronomers have found signs of Earth-like planets in an unlikely place: the atmospheres of a pair of burnt-out stars in a nearby star cluster. The white dwarf stars are being polluted by debris from asteroid-like objects falling onto them. This discovery suggests that rocky planet assembly is common in clusters, say researchers.