Pakistan, Oct. 6 -- Scientists may have found the first evidence of a planet formed from the remains of a dead star. Researchers describe the possible world as a cosmic "phoenix" rising from stellar ashes. The planet appears to be a gas giant orbiting a white dwarf called HS 0209+0832. The system lies about 270 light-years from Earth.

Read More: Scientists notice star swallowing a planet for the first time

The study appeared in Nature Astronomy on October 5. Researchers examined observations from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and other instruments. They found chemical evidence suggesting the planet formed from material released when its star died. This process could represent a rare example of a second-generation planet.

When a Sun-lik...