Astronomers report that NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has directly imaged the aftermath of collisions between small rocky bodies in the dusty ring around Fomalhaut, a bright star about 25 light-years from Earth. The observations help explain why the long-debated object dubbed “Fomalhaut b” faded from view: researchers now argue it was a transient dust cloud from a smashup rather than a planet. The team also identified a second bright feature elsewhere in the system, interpreted as another debris cloud from a separate collision, offering a rare, real-time glimpse of the messy building blocks involved in forming planetary systems.

Highlights:

• Two dust clouds: Researchers label the vanished source as Fomalhaut cs1 and the newer bright spot as Fomalhaut cs2, describing both as collision-generated debris rather than long-lived worlds.
• Long-running mystery: The saga began with the 2008 detection of a bright object later called Fomalhaut b, which looked planet-like but also appeared embedded in an expanding debris feature.
• Why it matters: By catching impacts in another system, Hubble provides a direct analogue for the early solar system’s era of frequent collisions among planetesimals, asteroids, and comets.
• Instrumentation angle: The result highlights Hubble’s continuing ability—decades after launch—to track time-variable structures in debris disks, complementing newer observatories by repeatedly revisiting the same system.
• Community engagement: The lead author engaged directly with the public in a Reddit discussion about the finding, inviting questions about the analysis and interpretation.

This is certainly the first time I’ve ever seen a point of light appear out of nowhere in an exoplanetary system, - Paul Kalas

Perspectives:

• Research team (collision interpretation): The team says the disappearance of “Fomalhaut b” and the emergence of a different bright spot fit best with short-lived dust clouds created by impacts between planetesimals in the star’s debris belt. (Nautilus)
• NASA/Hubble outreach: NASA frames the observations as a milestone: direct imaging of catastrophic collisions in another star system, offering a comparison point for the early solar system’s turbulent phase. (NASA Science)
• Science news coverage emphasis: Coverage stresses that the event offers a rare observational window into how planetary construction can be violent, with large impacts producing temporary bright debris features that can masquerade as planets. (Science News)

Sources:

• Cosmic Collision Caught on Camera - nautil.us
• New Hubble images may solve the case of a disappearing exoplanet - sciencenews.org
• First-of-its-kind cosmic collision spotted 25 light-years from Earth - popsci.com
• Hubble sees asteroids colliding around nearby star - European Space Agency - google.com
• NASA’s Hubble Sees Asteroids Colliding at Nearby Star for First Time - nasa.gov
• NASA’s Hubble Sees Asteroids Colliding at Nearby Star for First Time - NASA Science - reddit.com
• What Looked Like a Planet Was Actually a Cosmic Crash - scitechdaily.com
• Astronomers capture 1st direct images of collisions in a nearby star system: 'It's like looking back in time' - space.com
• Hubble captures rare collision in nearby planetary system - phys.org