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Massive Collision Disrupts Distant Star; 100 More Expected

3/12/2026

23 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

In 2016, Gaia20ehk, located about 11,000 light years away from Earth, began flickering after a stable period, indicating a massive planetary collision that blocked its light.
The study was led by Anastasios Tzanidakis from the University of Washington.
The debris could eventually form new planetary bodies.
Future observations from the Simonyi Survey Telescope may uncover around 100 similar collisions in the next decade.

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Story summary

In 2016, Gaia20ehk, located about 11,000 light years away from Earth, began flickering after a stable period, indicating a massive planetary collision that blocked its light.
The study was led by Anastasios Tzanidakis from the University of Washington.
The debris could eventually form new planetary bodies.
Future observations from the Simonyi Survey Telescope may uncover around 100 similar collisions in the next decade.