Giant Dying Star Caught Devouring Alien Planet

Giant Dying Star Caught Devouring Alien Planet

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A swollen star near the end if its life has been caught devouring one of its own planets — a scenario that could one day be replayed on Earth when our own sun dies in billions of years, scientists say.

Astronomers discovered the cosmic crime scene while studying an ancient star that has expanded in its old age to became a so-called “red giant.” The star, called BD+48 740, is older than our sun and much bigger. Its radius is 11 times larger than that of our sun. As the star swelled into a red giant, it likely absorbed its innermost planet, researchers said.