Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have conducted the first detailed analysis of WD 1856 b, a Jupiter-sized planet that survived its host star's evolution into a white dwarf. The observations reveal a grazing transit geometry and an orbit significantly closer to the star than standard models predict, challenging existing theories of planetary system survival during stellar death.
Background
WD 1856 b is currently the only confirmed example of a planet that survived the red giant phase of a Sun-like star, making it a unique laboratory for studying post-main-sequence planetary dynamics.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Jul 11, 2026 at 08:00 PM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10