Oldest Known Planet Identified

Running Time: 29 seconds

This animation shows how the Jovian planetary system in the outskirts of globular cluster M4, 13 billion years ago, travels to the core of the cluster. The star is drawn toward a neutron star and its companion. The slowly spinning neutron star captures the star and planet. Its original partner is ejected into space. The sun-like star swells to a red giant, spilling matter onto the neutron star.

Video Credit: NASA, L. Barranger, and A. Feild (STScI)