Colliding Planets Near ASASSN-21qj: Maybe

Matthew Kenworthy, Simon Lock, Grant Kennedy, Richelle van Capelleveen's sketch, showing their hypothesis for the observations of ASASSN-21qj (2MASS J08152329-3859234). Matthew Kenworthy et al., Nature. (October 2023)They were looking for supernovae.

What they found may become a double planet, like the Earth-Moon system, once it cools down. Or a planet with a giant moon, again like the Earth-Moon system.

Then again, an oddly-uneven dusty disk may be orbiting this young, very "Sun-like" star. Either way, ASASSN-2qj is much more interesting than it was a few years back.

More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

(Scientists looking for supernovae noticed a very sunlike star that flared in infrared and then dimmed. It may be evidence of a planetary collision.)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Memorare

'Greater Love: Richie Fernando SJ', a joy-filled Filipino missionary

Why Modesty Is Not Subjective