Research
Flyby-Induced Second Accretion as a Pathway to Giant Planets Around M Dwarfs
AAS Nova · By Kerry Hensley ·
The Brief
- A new theory proposes that giant planets around M dwarfs could form when an M dwarf hosting a rocky planet passes through the disk of another star.
- In this scenario the planet gains mass and migrates inward to become a close-in giant planet.
- The work is by Shunjing Zhao et al., published in ApJL 1008 L27 (2026).
Why it matters
It offers a candidate explanation for how close-in giant planets come to orbit M dwarfs, a question the source describes as not yet clear.
Who’s affected
- astronomers studying planet formation and migration
- researchers interested in M-dwarf planetary systems
- #planet formation
- #m dwarfs
- #giant planets
- #planetary migration
- #stellar flybys
Shunjing Zhao et al 2026 ApJL 1008 L27 It’s not yet clear how M-dwarf stars come to host close-in giant planets; a new theory suggests that an M dwarf hosting a rocky planet could pass through the disk of another star, allowing the planet to gain mass and migrate inward. The post…
Timeline
AAS Nova article on the flyby-induced second accretion theory published
AAS Nova
Flyby-Induced Second Accretion as a Pathway to Giant Planets Around M Dwarfs