Mark Hollands

“The traces of sodium in the atmosphere of this white dwarf absorb the orange part of the spectrum, leaving behind a ghostly green glow,”

Mark Hollands · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

The star WD J1330+6435 absorbed sodium from swallowed rocky planetary material, producing a chartreuse green appearance.

“Imagine standing on a planet and looking up at a green star. It feels like something out of science fiction.”

Mark Hollands · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Hollands reflected on the unusual green color of white dwarf WD J1330+6435, the first star observed to appear green to the human eye.

“Most stars, including most white dwarfs, behave like âperfect radiators,â so their color is set almost entirely by temperature. But nobody had really looked into what else might be possible for white dwarfs,”

Mark Hollands · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16

Astronomers discovered that white dwarfs can glow in unexpected colors due to trace elements interacting with dense helium plasma in their atmospheres.