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Astronomers using the Gemini South telescope in Chile, operated by NSF’s NOIRLab, have observed the first evidence of a dying Sun-like star engulfing an exoplanet. The “smoking gun” of this event was seen in a long and low-energy outburst from the star — the telltale signature of a planet skimming along a star’s surface. This never-before-seen process may herald the ultimate fate of Earth when our own Sun nears the end of its life in about five billion years.

Gemini South captures first direct evidence of an exoplanet being swallowed by an ancient Sun-like star. For the first time, scientists have directly observed a star engulfing a planet, an event that could hint at the eventual fate of our own solar system. The discovery offers important insights