In the study published in Science researchers suggest it is most likely that the water detected around the white dwarf GD 61 came from a minor planet at least 90 kilometers (56 miles) in diameterĂ¢
It is likely that the object was as large as Vesta the largest minor planet in the solar system.
The water-rich minor planet was knocked out of its regular orbit and plunged into a very close orbit where it was shredded by the starĂ¢#gravitational force.
Researchers believe that destabilizing the orbit of the minor planet requires a so far unseen much larger planet going around the white dwarf. t this stage in its existence all that remains of this rocky body is simply dust
Using a sophisticated computer model of the white dwarf atmosphere developed by Detlev Koester at the University of Kiel they were able to infer the chemical composition of the shredded minor planet.
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