Astronomers find a double debris disk around a white dwarf that may hint at the solar system's future

Summary

Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) have found a rare debris disk around a white dwarf, the dead remnant of a star like the Sun. Unlike similar systems found before, the debris, left over from planets that once orbited the star, forms a double disk with the two parts separated by a clear gap. Phys.org reports that the disk appears to be shaped by two planetary bodies, one possibly as big as Pluto, that survived the star's violent death. Universe Today reports that the observations show two resurrected planets have formed in the disk, which it describes as dead planets orbiting a dead star.

Timeline

1. Phys.org

   27 Oct 2026, 22:00 UTCSource ↗

   Phys.org reports that astronomers using ESO's VLT found a rare double debris disk around a dead star, separated by a clear gap, that appears to be shaped by two planetary bodies, one possibly as big as Pluto, which survived the star's death.

2. Universe Today

   27 Oct 2026, 22:04 UTCSource ↗

   Universe Today reports that astronomers spotted a debris disk made from the dust of destroyed planets around a white dwarf, and that observations show two new resurrected planets have formed in this disk.