Second Time Around: Some old stars may make new planets

摘要

How do you transform an old coot into a virile young whippersnapper? For a puffy middle-aged star, the cosmic version of taking Viagra seems to be ingesting a nearby companion-then burping up the stellar meal. That appears to be the best explanation for how two aging stars, long past their birthing years, have once again become ripe for making planets, an endeavor normally reserved for the youngest stars in the universe.