Red Giant Destroying Planet - V2
Image cropped - click to view
Description
Astronomers at NOIRLab (Tucson, Arizona, USA) have detected what they believe is the first sighting of the destruction of a gas giant planet caused by the expansion of its ageing red giant star. All sun-like stars expand as their nuclear fuel runs out, culminating in a red giant phase, in which the star can be hundreds of times its original size. When this happens, planets that are too close will be engulfed by the star and completely merged with it. The astronomers in question have detected emissions from a red giant star that are consistent with such an event, making it the first time this has actually been detected. This image was created for a press release issued by NOIRLab in Tucson, USA.
Details
Title: Red Giant Destroying Planet - V2
Date: 18 Apr 2023
Medium: Photoshop
Client: NOIRLab
Category: Space
Keywords: Adobe Photoshop, astrophysics, destruction, engulfed, gas giant, NOIRLab, planet, press release, red giant, stellar evolution