Accra:Astronomers have identified a rare type of planet believed to have formed from material shed by a star in its final stages, offering new insights into planetary formation and evolution.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the planet is likely a “second-generation planet,” having originated from material ejected by a dying star. This discovery, reported by The Independent, highlights its potential to change our understanding of how planets form and evolve.

Jamie Williams, a researcher at the University of Warwick and leader of the study, emphasized the rarity of such planets. She noted the unexpected nature of finding a planet orbiting a white dwarf, comparing it to discovering a world born from the remnants of the star it once orbited.

While similar planetary formations have been observed around pulsars, this may be the first instance involving a second-generation planet orbiting a white dwarf. White dwarfs, being more common in the universe than pulsars, suggest that many more planets formed from stellar remnants may exist than previously thought, providing new opportunities to study planetary formation in evolved star systems.