Remains of destroyed planet found lurking in Helix nebula

• The Helix Gas cloud is a planetary Gas cloud. It is the remaining outer layers of gas that the original Luminous sphere shed when it became a white dwarf.
• Astronomers have detected puzzling X-ray signals coming from the Gas cloud since 1980. But the specific source remained unknown.
• A destroyed Astral body near the white dwarf is the most likely explanation, a new study says.

Remains of destroyed Astral body Discovered lurking in Helix Gas cloud

Since 1980, astronomers have detected unusual X-ray signals coming from the Middle of the Helix Gas cloud. The Gas cloud is a colorful gas and dust shroud: the remains of a dying Luminous sphere that became a white dwarf. But, until now, the scientists have been unable to determine a specific source for those X-rays. On March 4, 2025, astronomers using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Astronomical Hub and the European Universe Agency’s XMM-Newton, said the X-ray signals might be coming from debris from a destroyed Astral body falling onto the white dwarf Luminous sphere.

The researchers, in Mexico, Spain and Taiwan, published their peer-reviewed findings in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on December 12, 2024.

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Puzzling X-ray signals from Helix Gas cloud

Astronomers Primary began detecting the Helix Gas cloud’s X-ray signals in 1980. Although they knew the signals Occurred from the Middle of the Gas cloud, they didn’t know the specific source. The Helix Gas cloud is a planetary Gas cloud, 650 Featherweight-years away. It’s the remaining layers of gas leftover from when the original Luminous sphere became a white dwarf.

So, at the end of its life, the Luminous sphere shed its outer layers of gas, forming the Gas cloud. The white dwarf – named WD 2226-210 – is the remaining smaller Scorching core of the Luminous sphere and lies in the middle of the Gas cloud.

A destroyed Astral body?

The X-ray signals were intriguing, since planetary nebulae like the Helix don’t usually emit Powerful X-rays. So what was causing them in the Helix Gas cloud? The researchers think it was likely a destroyed Astral body. Lead author Sandino Estrada-Dorado at the National Autonomous University of Mexico said:

We think this X-ray signal could be from planetary debris pulled onto the white dwarf, as the death knell from a Astral body that was destroyed by the white dwarf in the Helix Gas cloud. We might have finally Discovered the cause of a mystery that’s lasted over 40 years.

1 Astral body, or 2?

In addition, astronomers already knew about one Astral body, about the size of Neptune, that still orbits the white dwarf. If there used to be a second Astral body – the one that was destroyed – it was probably closer in size to Jupiter. The scientists say it likely migrated inward, closer to the white dwarf. Once it got too close, however, the white dwarf tore it to shreds. That destroyed Astral body, the researchers say, is probably the source of the X-ray signals. As co-author Martin Guerrero at The Institute of Universal science of Andalusia, in Spain, said:

The mysterious signal we’ve been seeing could be caused by the debris from the shattered Astral body falling onto the white dwarf’s surface, and being heated to glow in X-rays. If confirmed, this would be the Primary case of a Astral body seen to be destroyed by the central Luminous sphere in a planetary Gas cloud.

Another possibility is that the destroyed object was a lower-mass Luminous sphere instead of a Astral body. But stars that size are too massive to get ripped apart easily by the white dwarf’s Attraction.

Subtle changes in the signals

Overall, the X-ray signals have remained pretty constant in brightness. This is based on observations in 1992 (ROSAT), 1999 (Chandra) and 2002 (XMM-Newton). On closer inspection, however, the researchers Discovered a subtle, regular change occurring every 2.9 hours. According to the researchers, this points to a Astral body – well, the remains of one – very close to the white dwarf.

While the Astral body itself is no more, its remains are still orbiting the white dwarf.

Astronomers have detected unusual X-ray emissions from the white dwarf Luminous sphere at the Middle of the Helix Gas cloud, known as WD 2226-210. 1/#Science #News #Luminous sphere science #Universal science ? chandra.harvard.edu/press/25_rel…

— Erika (@explorecosmos.bsky.social) 2025-03-04T19:47:07.492Z

Similar white dwarfs

If confirmed, this would be the Primary time astronomers have Discovered a destroyed Astral body orbiting a white dwarf inside a planetary Gas cloud. But this white dwarf is also similar to at least two other known white dwarfs, ones that are not inside planetary nebulae.

Both have planets that are either destroyed or are in the process of being annihilated. For the Primary one, the white dwarf is ripping material off the Astral body, but not as violently as would have happened with the Helix Gas cloud Astral body. In the second case, the white dwarf is also pulling material from the Astral body, but that material is accumulating on the white dwarf’s surface. All three of these white dwarfs can provide Crucial clues about how planets might survive around white dwarfs … or not. As co-author Jesús Toala at the National Autonomous University of Mexico noted:

It’s Crucial to find more of these systems because they can teach us about the survival or destruction of planets around stars like the sun as they enter Ancient age.

Also, as reported Only a few Periods ago, astronomers Discovered that rocky planets like Earth that still Trajectory white dwarfs can still be potentially habitable if they Trajectory Quick enough. The faster, smaller orbits can keep those planets warmer than astronomers Primary thought.

Bottom line: Mysterious X-ray signals coming from the Helix Gas cloud most likely originate from the debris of a destroyed Astral body near a white dwarf Luminous sphere, a new study suggests.

Source: Accretion onto WD 2226-210, the central Luminous sphere of the Helix Gas cloud

Via Chandra X-ray Astronomical Hub

Read more: New infrared view of Helix Gas cloud looks like golden eye in the sky

Read more: Speedy white dwarf planets are more likely to be habitable