NASA's Telescopes Capture Dying Star in Helix Nebula, Possible Planetary Consumption

NASA recently released an image of a dying star at the center of the Helix Nebula, also known as Caldwell 63, located approximately 650 million light-years from Earth. The nebula, resembling a giant, luminous eye, spans three light-years and consists of gas layers ejected by the dying star. Observations combining data from NASA's Chandra, Hubble, VISTA, and GALEX telescopes revealed a white dwarf at the nebula's center. Research published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (December 2024) suggests the white dwarf may have consumed a planet, drawn in by tidal forces and triggering powerful X-ray flares as fragments fell onto the star's surface. The Milky Way's sun is expected to undergo a similar transformation, eventually becoming a white dwarf after its red giant phase, potentially engulfing Earth.