In this deep-dive, a Backyard Worlds citizen-science discovery reveals an ancient white dwarf, LSPM J0207+3331, that’s actively accreting the metal-rich core of a large, dry rocky body. Its atmosphere hosts 13 heavy elements—the most ever seen in this type of star—while a close-in silicate debris disk challenges models of planetary-system longevity. Ongoing accretion is confirmed by strontium, and hints of calcium emission suggest magnetic or heating processes we don’t yet understand. A dynamic stellar graveyard reshaping our view of how long planetary systems can stay active after a star dies.
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