White Dwarfs : Discovery News

White Dwarfs Are Eating 'Earth-like' Planets for Dinner

Posted by Ian O'Neill Thu May 3, 2012 03:56 PM ET | 0

Astronomers have detected the dusty remains of rocky worlds that are being consumed by distant white dwarfs -- but this dust has a very "Earth-like" flavor. Read more

White Dwarfs Are Eating 'Earth-like' Planets for Dinner

Enjoy Earth Day While You Can, There Are Only 5 Billion Left

Posted by Ian O'Neill Thu Apr 19, 2012 04:21 PM ET | 0

We know of only one doomsday event that will definitely wipe out Planet Earth -- when the sun runs out of fuel, it will swell and we will become solar chum. Read more

Enjoy Earth Day While You Can, There Are Only 5 Billion Left

Watery Alien Planets Might Be Stripped Dry by Gravity

Posted Sat Feb 11, 2012 05:28 PM ET | 0

Alien planets might experience tidal forces powerful enough to remove all their water. Read more

Don't Slow Down White Dwarf, You Might Explode

Posted by Ian O'Neill Tue Sep 6, 2011 03:34 PM ET | 0

Could a white dwarf's spin save it from supernova doom? Read more

Don't Slow Down White Dwarf, You Might Explode

Using Supernovae to Measure the Cosmos

Posted by Mark Thompson Sat Aug 27, 2011 03:59 AM ET | 0

How do astronomers know how far away that galaxy is? For starters, it would help if a star would explode. Read more

Sifting Through the Ashes For Shredded Planets

Posted by Ray Villard Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:41 PM ET | 0

Who'd ever think of looking for evidence of Earth-like planets around dead sun-like stars? Read more

Sifting Through the Ashes For Shredded Planets

Family Feud: White Dwarf Stars Battle It Out

Posted by Jennifer Ouellette Thu May 26, 2011 04:05 AM ET | 0

These two stellar siblings don't seem to like each other very much. But it's OK, they make up in the end. Read more

Could Dead Stars Support Life?

Posted by Ian O'Neill Thu Mar 24, 2011 06:20 PM ET | 0

White dwarfs may technically be the remnants of dead stars, but could they provide a steady, long-term energy source to alien life? Read more

Why Does a Star Explode?

Posted by Robert Lamb Thu Sep 23, 2010 08:36 AM ET | 0

Nothing lights up the cosmos like a supernova. But why does a star explode to begin with? Read more

One Step Closer to Understanding Dark Energy

Posted by Nicole Gugliucci Fri Apr 23, 2010 04:07 AM ET | 0

Measuring the influence of dark energy on the universe is a tricky business, but refining our understanding of Type Ia supernovae may uncover the true nature of this mysterious force. Read more

One Step Closer to Understanding Dark Energy

Sun-Like Stars Littered with Rocky Remains

Posted by Irene Klotz Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:39 AM ET | 0

Trace metals consistent with rocky, possibly watery bodies have been discovered in stars far beyond our solar system. Read more

Fastest (and Most Compact) Stellar Spinner Confirmed

Posted by Ian O'Neill Thu Mar 11, 2010 09:27 PM ET | 0

HM Cancri has been confirmed as a binary system of two white dwarfs orbiting one other so close, they complete one orbit every 5.4 minutes. With a year this short, it's little wonder HM Cancri is a record breaker! Read more

Fastest (and Most Compact) Stellar Spinner Confirmed

Cosmic Ruler Finally Explained

Posted by Larry O'Hanlon Fri Feb 19, 2010 07:30 AM ET | 0

Explosions that scientists have long used to measure the universe are finally explained as merging, dying stars. Read more

The Recurrent Nova of RS Ophiuchi

Posted by Ian O'Neill Mon Aug 3, 2009 07:19 AM ET | 0

Ian O'Neill chats with Dr. Richard Barry, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, about the fascinating recurrent nova, RS Ophiuchi and it's beautiful dust spiral. Read more