Scientists reveal first ‘zombie’ star with ‘ghostly green glow’ — and fascinating reason behind hue - New York Post
Astronomers have identified a 'zombie' white dwarf star, WD J1330+6435, that emits a unique green glow due to the absorption of debris from destroyed planets. This discovery provides new insights into the chemical composition and evolution of dense stellar remnants.
Why it matters
This finding challenges previous assumptions about how white dwarf stars radiate light and expands our understanding of planetary system destruction.
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Make New York Post a Preferred Source Astronomers have discovered the first white dwarf “zombie” star with a “ghostly green glow” that they say it got from eating the rocky debris of dead planets.
“It feels like something out of science fiction,” said astrophysicist Mark Hollands, whose team from the University of Warwick announced its findings last week.
The zombie WD J1330+6435 is in the Milky Way, although about 280 light-years from our solar system, and can be faintly seen in the constellation Draco, the scientists said.
The discovery marked the first time researchers have seen a “green” star — and discovered that the color of such super-dense “zombie” stars can be changed by elements it absorbs such as carbon, calcium, and sodium.
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