Open AccessPlanets survive red giant phase
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
astronomy & geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.168
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 1468-4004
pISSN - 1366-8781
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-4004.2012.53104_14.x
Subject(s) - astrobiology , planet , astronomy , physics , astrophysics
Planets are not necessarily vaporized when a red giant star expands; the cores of gas giants may survive, but they would not be pleasant places to live. Data from NASA's Kepler mission has revealed two small planets orbiting a star after its red giant phase.