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Area of Science:

  • Astronomy and astrophysics
  • Exoplanetary science
  • Stellar evolution

Background:

  • Thousands of exoplanets discovered orbit stars that become red giants and then white dwarfs.
  • Planets orbiting close to stars are engulfed during the red giant phase.
  • Evidence of rocky debris around white dwarfs suggests disrupted planets, but intact massive planets were undetected in close orbits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the possibility of intact massive planets surviving in close orbits around white dwarfs.
  • To analyze the transit of a giant planet candidate around the white dwarf WD 1856+534.
  • To understand the orbital dynamics and survival mechanisms of planets around white dwarfs.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of periodic dimming of the white dwarf WD 1856+534.
  • Modeling the transit of the planet candidate across the star.
  • Analysis of the planet candidate's size and mass relative to Jupiter.
  • Comparison with common-envelope evolution models for close stellar/substellar companions.

Main Results:

  • Detection of a giant planet candidate, comparable in size to Jupiter, transiting WD 1856+534 every 1.4 days.
  • The planet candidate's mass is estimated to be no more than 14 times that of Jupiter.
  • The orbital period and low mass of the planet candidate make common-envelope evolution an unlikely explanation for its close orbit.
  • The findings suggest giant planets can be scattered into tight orbits around white dwarfs without tidal disruption.

Conclusions:

  • Giant planets can survive close orbits around white dwarfs, contrary to previous expectations.
  • The WD 1856+534 system provides evidence that scattering mechanisms can place massive planets into tight orbits without disruption.
  • This discovery motivates further searches for smaller transiting planets around white dwarfs.