That is, unless it migrated inward...

Question

Because the giant planet is located so close to the white dwarf, the researchers say it should have been destroyed during the stars' red giant phase. That is, unless it migrated inward after the star transitioned to a white dwarf.

I understand that the giant planet was located beyond the scorching heat of the star's red giant phase thus not having been destroyed. When the star became the white dwarf (next phase after the red-giant one), the giant planet came closer (migrated) to the white dwarf.

Is my understanding of the cited paragraph correct?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

anonymousIs my understanding of the cited paragraph correct?

Pretty good...

Astronomers have found a gas giant planet (Like Jupiter) orbiting very close to a white dwarf star.

A star becomes a white dwarf after it has gone though a red giant phase. In the red giant phase, the diameter of the star expands. (For example, when our sun becomes a red giant, it will extend farther than the earth's orbit. The earth will be destroyed, but Jupiter will not because it is too far away.)

In this case, the explanation for this existing planet is that it once was much further away from the central star. After the red giant phase was over, the star shrank to a white dwarf. Something else caused the planet's orbit to decrease in size.

Anonymous · Answer

anonymousIs my understanding of the cited paragraph correct?

No. If the planet had been in its present orbit when the star was a red giant, it would probably have been inside the star and thus been destroyed. Also, red giants are relatively cool as stars go.

That is, unless it migrated inward...

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