Overview
- A peer‑reviewed paper led by Mark Hollands at the University of Warwick, published mid‑October, used spectra of 151 nearby white dwarfs to calculate how those stars would look to the human eye.
- One object, WD J1330+6435, was modeled to appear green because trace sodium in its atmosphere absorbs orange, yellow and some red wavelengths when pressured by surrounding helium.
- The team found the star’s outer layers contain elements linked to rocky bodies—notably sodium, calcium and lithium—signaling it has accreted debris from disrupted asteroids or planets.
- Authors emphasize the color is derived from spectral modeling and human‑vision calculations rather than direct photographic observation of a resolved colored disk.
- The study estimates about one in 30 white dwarfs could show unusual colors and says upcoming spectroscopic surveys should increase the sample roughly tenfold for follow‑up and better statistics.