Old Stars Can Form New Planets

Smivs writes "Evidence is emerging that some old stars may develop a second set of planets long after this would normally be expected. A BBC article explains how astronomers believe the stars once had orbiting companions, but that these were engulfed when the stars expanded. This caused matter to be ejected from the stars, forming a disc of dust and gas from which planets could form anew. The two stars described in the latest study, BP Piscium and Tycho 4144 329 2, possess many signatures characteristic of stellar youngsters. However strong evidence exists that these stars are, in fact, very old."

Comments

Yeah!

[grub]

but that these were engulfed when the stars expanded. This caused matter to be ejected from the stars, forming a disc of dust and gas from which planets could form anew.

I'm going to quit recycling, in a few billion years Sol will do it for me.

Re:Yeah!

[somersault]

I need to try that on my mum next time she complains about the dust in my room. I'm just collecting it to aid new planet formation!

Re:Yeah!

[Anonymous Coward]

a few billion years... it's sooner than you think!

Re:Yeah!

[Jaqenn]

It worked great in Katamari Damacy. On behalf of the royal family of the cosmos, I request that you never clean your room again.

Hmm, thats good news....

[Anonymous Coward]

Since Cosby is a REALLY old star, I'm sure he'll be welcomed at planet Hollywood. *rimshot* I'll be here all week!

Couldn't this happen in another way?

[BrentRJones]

The sun could belch or burp out matter because of an internal explosion or an impact.

Also one solar system could use a nearby system as a toxic waste dump. Think of all the junk leftover after making a ring world system.

Finally small twin black holes could pull matter out of a sun that they orbit.

Re:Couldn't this happen in another way?

[Sciros]

The sun could belch or burp Or fart. Or barf. Or ejaculate. Heck, the Sun can shit planets!

Interesting, but..

[AbsoluteXyro]

Am I the only person who is not surprised that planets might form from a planetary nebula?

Re:Interesting, but..

[Anonymous Coward]

What do small-mass stars in the process of dying have to do with this?

Re:Interesting, but..

[MikeDirnt69]

No, not really. We can extend Lavoisier from atoms to universes: "Nothing is lost, everything is transformed"

Oh, come on

[plover]

Val Kilmer may be 49 years old now and weigh about 350, but that doesn't mean he's going form a planetary system.

Of course, there is the counter example of Rosie O'Donnell, I think she does have a moon orbiting her.

Or did you mean "stars" like in "nebulae"?

So..

[idontgno]

it's not just old couples who can be surprised with a late-life batch of kids. (No South Korea jokes, plz)

Rosie O'Donnell

[Trivial_Zeros]

Rosie O'Donnell could probably form several.

Re:Rosie O'Donnell

[KudyardRipling]

Just throw snowballs at her and miss. These will go into highly eccentric orbits and break up on close approach. On subsequent approaches, the fragments impact her face like Shoemaker-Levy 9.

How about an orbiting mini black hole for liposuction?

huh.....

[emeraldfoxx]

I must have missed the memo....today is apparently Astrology Day according to all the /. articles... I just wanna know when are we going to have Show and Tell? Thats something I might actually be good at...

I approve of this metaphor.

[pragma_x]

Heck, the Sun can shit planets!

Well, stars do 'consume' lighter elements only to convert them into heavy (less fusable) elements that are basically waste as far as that process goes. As it happens, planets are made up of these heavy elements, so yea, that's acutally pretty accurate.

Re:I approve of this metaphor.

[Daltin]

Personally, I've never checked to see if what comes out is heavier...

Was Super Mario Galaxy used for research material?

[Attackman]

How many star bits do we need to feed these stars before they TRANSFORM into planets? :)