In first, astronomers see star engulf planet

De suspected that he was witnessing a star absorbing a planet. And that data removed the last doubts: These were the crumbs of a star eating its planet. A few years after the original spark, the team checked back on their planet-eating star, which has contracted to its original size. “Almost like the star ate the planet and forgot about it,” said De. De hopes to learn more about the consumed planet and see whether that planet polluted the star.