Scientists have observed for the first time the glow produced after 2 giant planets collided with each other.
According to scientists, two giant planets collided around their star like our Sun, creating enough light to be seen from Earth.
Researchers from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands and the University of Bristol in the UK observed the event and believe that the two giant ice planets were destroyed after the collision, leaving behind debris and pieces larger than Earth.
Scientists made the discovery when a novice astronomer reported the event near the star ASASSN-21qj in a post on social media.
The star is located 1800 light-years from Earth and the scientist was attracted to it because the light around the star suddenly increased and then dimmed.
Scientists then observed the star to understand what was going on there.
They tried to find out why the star’s brightness changes.
The truth is, the discovery stunned us, the researchers said.
He said that the glow produced there was the result of the heat generated by the collision of the planets and that this glow began to dim when the dust covered the star over the course of 3 years.
He added that according to our estimates and computer models, the size of this glow is the result of the collision of 2 large planets.
The dust around the planet is likely to clear up soon, and experts hope it will confirm their idea.
The sighting can be seen from Earth, but also from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, so scientists will be able to see when the orbit begins its journey.
Further observation of this will be fascinating, the researchers said, and it is likely that the debris after the planetary collision will coalesce and form a moon to orbit the new planet.
The results of this research were published in the journal Nature.