White Dwarf May Have Destroyed a Planet in Helix Nebula

A white dwarf at the center of the Helix Nebula may have destroyed a planet, potentially explaining a mysterious X-ray signal detected for over 40 years. The Helix Nebula, a planetary nebula formed by a late-stage star shedding its outer layers, contains a white dwarf named WD 2226-210, located 650 light-years from Earth. Data from Chandra suggests that this white dwarf has destroyed a very closely orbiting planet. X-ray missions have detected unusual, high-energy X-rays from WD 2226-210 since 1980, which is atypical for white dwarfs. A new study suggests the X-ray signal could be debris from a destroyed planet being pulled onto the white dwarf. Observations between 1992 and 2002 indicate a consistent X-ray signal with a subtle change every 2.9 hours, hinting at planetary remains orbiting closely. Researchers propose a Jupiter-like planet may have migrated inward, been torn apart by the white dwarf's gravity, and formed a disk around the star, creating the X-ray signal. This would be the first observed instance of a planet destroyed by a central star within a planetary nebula. The study appears in The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.