Surviving the Supernova: The Enigma of Halla, the 'Zombie Planet'
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Livescience.com
Astronomers have discovered a Jupiter-size planet named Halla that miraculously survived the explosive expansion of its host star, Baekdu. Halla, also known as a "hot Jupiter," should have been engulfed and incinerated by the expanding star, but it managed to survive. The researchers propose two possibilities: either Halla was born after Baekdu transformed into a red giant, or Baekdu was once part of a binary system that later merged, preventing either star from expanding enough to consume Halla.