Astronomers find a double ring of planetary debris around a dead star

Summary

Astronomers have discovered a double ring of planetary wreckage around a dead star, which they say may preview what could happen to our Solar System's distant future. The two rings are separated by a gap that researchers believe is maintained by surviving planetary bodies, possibly including one as large as Pluto or the Moon. The rings have different chemical compositions, suggesting they may contain the remains of separate destroyed planets.

Timeline

1. ScienceDaily

   6 Nov 2026, 22:12 UTCSource ↗

   ScienceDaily reports that astronomers found a strange double ring of planetary wreckage around a dead star, a possible preview of the Solar System's distant future, with a gap between the rings that researchers believe is maintained by surviving planetary bodies, including one potentially as large as Pluto or the Moon, and rings with different chemical compositions that may be the remains of separate destroyed planets.