NASA finds a planet disintegrating faster than astronomers thought possible

Every object in the universe is on a countdown. Planets take shape, orbit their stars and, in some cases, break apart completely. One small planet, locked in a dangerously close orbit, is falling apart faster than anyone expected.

In the wake of this discovery, Nick Tusay from Penn State has highlighted how modern instruments can capture the fragments of a world in near-real time.

His team uncovered new details about one particular planet, known as K2-22b, by pointing the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) at this extreme environment.

Understanding the K2-22b meltdown

Astronomers classify certain extreme planets as ultra-short period objects if they lie very close to their stars and orbit them in mere hours.

K2-22b fits this definition perfectly, circling its sun in just over nine hours while enduring a blistering surface temperature of about 2100 degrees Kelvin.

Researchers believe K2-22b loses material because it sits so close to its star that even metal and rock turn into vapor.

They noticed that the star’s light dims in an uneven way, which supports the idea that a lengthy dust tail trails behind the planet.

What lies beneath K2-22b?

The K2-22b system provides a chance to examine the interior of a planet that lies outside our solar system.

Astronomers have rarely had direct access to the core and mantle layers of any world in such a clear fashion, but they see bits of this planet being tossed off into space. 

“These planets are literally spilling their guts into space for us, and with JWST we finally have the means to study their composition and see what planets orbiting other stars are really made of,” explained Tusay.

Jason Wright, a co-author on the same project, described how it is tricky to get samples from Earth’s own mantle. He sees K2-22b as a rare chance to capture a direct glimpse of a small world’s deeper layers.

Second disappearing act

While K2-22b first drew notice by shedding rock into space, another object has shocked astronomers with a brisk pace of demise.

A separate team, guided by researchers from MIT, discovered BD+05 4868 Ab, a planet that completes its orbit in just over 30 hours and looks to be spewing material in two directions.

According to the MIT group, BD+05 4868 Ab’s dust tail stretches around 9 million kilometers, which is more than half the distance along its orbit. It even boasts a second tail, composed of smaller particles that drift at a different rate.

Brighter star, bigger surprises

Observers report that BD+05 4868 Ab blocks more than one percent of its star’s light whenever the dust tail crosses our line of sight.

The transit period can last up to fifteen hours, reflecting the massive area that the dust cloud covers.

“The rate at which the planet is evaporating is utterly cataclysmic, and we are incredibly lucky to be witnessing the final hours of this dying planet,” said Marc Hon, postdoctoral researcher at the MIT TESS Science Office.

This object might only endure another couple of million years, which is swift from a cosmic perspective.

Why does K2-22b matter?

With BD+05 4868 Ab orbiting a relatively bright star, astronomers can more easily analyze the spectral signatures of the planet’s dusty outflow. That brightness boosts the chances of spotting specific chemical markers.

A growing number of specialists hope to build a clearer picture of what elements make up these evaporating worlds.

These bits of data might guide theories on how planets form and evolve, offering insights that extend well beyond one star system.

Both teams joining forces

Scientists behind both discoveries are joining efforts to gather more data on BD+05 4868 Ab. They plan to use JWST’s infrared capabilities to investigate whether the losing world releases certain combinations of silicate or iron vapors.

Astronomers also anticipate comparing the composition of K2-22b’s escaping rock to that of BD+05 4868 Ab’s dust tails.

Unusual compounds could crop up in either system, spurring new questions about how materials behave at scorching temperatures and intense radiation levels.

Stars destroy their planets

These fiery, short-lived planets confirm that stars can rip apart their neighbors under the right conditions. Observations of dust tails do more than raise eyebrows; they unlock ways to decode the inner layers of distant worlds.

Some researchers point out how each new planet found in this condition brings them closer to refining atmospheric models.

Even the presence of compounds like nitric oxide or carbon dioxide can challenge long-held assumptions about which chemicals endure such brutal heat.

Disintegrating planets were once seen as an oddity, but technology has leapt forward. Instruments like TESS continually scan large chunks of sky, and JWST can focus on selected targets at extraordinary resolution.

Future campaigns may reveal more battered planets that have similar tails. Once a few more systems are identified, researchers might learn if certain stars are more prone to hosting these doomed objects.

K2-22b and disintegrating planets

As telescopes capture fresh snapshots of disintegration in progress, theorists will keep refining their understanding of tidal forces, star-planet interactions, and how heat ravages a planet’s structure.

This synergy between theory and observation transforms stray findings into meaningful breakthroughs.

Each new observation feeds into a bigger mosaic that helps answer why certain planets crumble so quickly. That ongoing research could reshape our perspective on planetary survival in the harshest of stellar neighborhoods.

The study of the K2-22b system and the BD+05 4868 Ab system are published at arXiv under the section on Earth and Planetary Astrophysics.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–