Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
For the first time ever, astronomers have directly observed two exoplanets disintegrating before our eyes—slowly being torn apart by their stars.
Representative pic
The first planet, K2-22b, orbits its star in just 9 hours, reaching 3,320°F (1,826°C)—so hot that rock and metal vaporize into space.
BD+054868Ab, the second planet, has two massive dust tails, stretching 5.6 million miles, shedding material at an astonishing rate.
Representative pic
These planets will lose all their mass over the next 1-2 million years, leaving behind only tiny, lifeless cores before disappearing forever.
Representative pic
K2-22b’s elongated, comet-like tail forms as radiation blasts away vaporized rock, creating a stunning cosmic plume.
Representative pic
“These planets are literally disintegrating before us,” says Nick Tusay of Penn State, providing an unprecedented look at planetary interiors.
Representative pic
JWST detected carbon dioxide and nitric oxide on K2-22b—chemicals linked to icy worlds, not rocky planets, suggesting a chaotic migration history.
BD+054868Ab is losing a moon’s worth of mass every million years, proving planetary destruction happens faster than we thought.
By observing these planets tear themselves apart, astronomers now have a rare window into the deep composition of distant worlds.