For over forty years, astronomers have been baffled by X-rays from the white dwarf at the center of the Helix Nebula. A white dwarf is the remnant of a star that has shed its outer layers to form a nebula. They do not ordinarily emit X-rays, but observations by Chandra and other X-ray telescopes have detected regular X-ray emissions for decades. A new study has a possible explanation.
The study found a subtle change in the X-ray signal every 2.9 hours, indicating that the electromagnetic waves were not coming from the white dwarf. Instead, the system may have contained a Jupiter-sized planet that was pulled too close to the star and torn apart by its tidal forces. Debris from the former planet would produce X-rays as it fell upon the star.
The Chandra X-Ray Observatory released the image of the nebula, with the white dwarf at the center, using data obtained from numerous sources. X-ray light is magenta-purple, ultraviolet light is periwinkle-purple, optical light is orange and light blue, and infrared light is yellow-gold and dark blue.
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