"What was originally thought to be a planet orbiting the Fomalhaut star was probably just the fallout of a wild collision."
"Astronomers have seen the aftermath of two planetary pile-ups in the same turbulent star system - providing potential insights into how planets form."
An object once identified as a planet orbiting Fomalhaut is likely collision debris rather than a bona fide planet. Observations reveal the aftermath of two separate planetary pile-ups within the same turbulent star system. The collisions produced substantial fallout that can mimic planet-like signals and alter the system’s debris distribution. Detecting multiple collision remnants in one system offers direct evidence of energetic late-stage assembly processes. These collision signatures help constrain timescales, dynamics and frequency of giant impacts during planet formation. Studying such debris can refine models of how planetary systems evolve and mature.
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