Carbon monoxide planets

The researchers considered planets that sound like sci-fi creations but that could actually be formed in nature.

For example, scientists have previously proposed the possibility of carbon monoxide planets. These could form in discs around stars stealing material from nearby white dwarfs, dense embers of Sun-like stars made mostly of carbon and oxygen.

Sometimes stars lose so many of their outer layers in such stellar burglaries that all that remains of them is a helium core with the mass of a planet. Astronomers led by Hans Krimm of Goddard recently announced finding what may be a helium planet near a dense neutron star that may have stolen its outer layers.

Carbon planets, with more than 50% of their mass in the form of carbon compounds like graphite, could also potentially form in a variety of scenarios, such as a disc rich in carbon.

The research may help determine the properties of future planet discoveries