List of extrasolar planetary collisions


This is a list of collisions between exoplanets or planetesimals observed in extrasolar systems. These collisions are more common in young systems and are an important part in the growth of especially terrestrial planets from so-called planetary embryos. Detections of individual collisions are nevertheless rare and are detected via transits in the optical, infrared excess, silicate emission or via infrared brightening. Collisions are thought to be common in a type of debris disk, so-called extreme debris disks. Co-moving stellar or substellar companions can trigger such collisions at an old age, creating old EDDs. Only about 24 EDDs are known. HD 181327 has an asymmetry in its disk that could be explained by a giant collision, but later research excluded this scenario.
This list does not include planetary bodies being accreted by white dwarfs, for this refer to the List of exoplanets and planetary debris around white dwarfs.

List of individual events

This list contains systems with individual collision events that were directly observed. Alternatively events were inferred from properties of the disk. The list is sorted after the start of the event.
Name of starspectral typeApprox. age
Extreme
debris
disk?
Start of eventColliding bodiesNotesRef.
Beta PictorisA6V20no~150 years ago100–500 km bodySo-called "cat's tail" feature in the disk observed in mid-infrared
Beta PictorisA6V20noA few years before 2004Decreased mid-infrared flux and disappearance of forsterite emission
FomalhautA3V440noEarly 2004Two bodies of ≥110 km in size, or a 56 km body impacting a 893 km bodyFomalhaut b was once suspected to be a planet, but is now suspected to be the remains of a planetary collision
FomalhautA3V440noSeptember 2023two planetesimalscalled "Fomalhaut cs2", is 135.3 AU distant from the star
TYC 4209-1322-1G1V275yes2010 or earlierunknown
TYC 4209-1322-1G1V275yesSometime in 2014Two ≥90 km bodiesbrightening and fading between 2014 and 2018
P1121F9V80yesBefore 2012Two bodies with sizes of ≥100 kmOne hypervelocity impact
NGC 2547–ID8G6V35yeslate 2012Two bodies with sizes of ≥100 kmlikely grazing or hit-and-run type event
NGC 2547–ID8G6V35yesearly 2014100 km bodies, maybe same objects as the first eventfragments dominated by boulders
HD 169142A5V6no2013–2018UnknownVariability interpreted as appearance and disappearance of a dust ring. Comparisons with EDDs were made.
HD 166191late F- to early G10yesEarly 2018Two ≥500 km bodiesSudden increase of dust production in early 2018, reaching a high in 2019. Also transit of star-sized dust clouds, produced by the collisions.
V488 PerseiK2-2.5 V80yes2019Two 60 km bodiesConstant collisions will last 1,000 to 10,000 years.
Possibly formation of a Mercury-like planet.
ASASSN-21qjG2300no?December 2021Two ice giantsBreakup of exocomets was also proposed.
HD 172555A5V23noWithin 0.1 MyrTwo planetesimalsCompared to the formation of the Moon
BD+20 307F-type binary≥1000yesUnknownPlanetary-scaleCatastrophic collision between planetary-scale bodies
HD 15407AF3V80 or 2100yesUnknownPlanetesimals?One giant hypervelocity impact?
HD 23514F6V100yesUnknownPlanetary embryos; later work: atmospheric stripping or giant impact, involving volatiles. Involving a mass at least corresponding to 120-165 km-size asteroidMember of the Pleiades
TYC 4479-3-1G6V5000yesUnknown≥50 km planetesimalDisruption of one body
HD 113766AF2V17yesUnknownPartially differentiated bodiesRecent impact of two asteroids or planetary bodies
TYC 8830-410-1G9V600yesUnknownRocky bodiesGiant impact

List of other EDDs

These objects appear as EDDs in Moór et al. EDDs are listed here, because they are often associated with individual giant collisions. List is sorted after discovery year.
Name of starSpectral typeApprox. age
NotesDiscovery yearRef.
TYC 8241–2652–1K210rapid disappearance of the disk, unknown mechanism2012
RZ PisciumK0IV30Intense continuous collisions, destroying a 90 km asteroid each year.2013
TIC 43488669100-400runaway star, without further estimates of the collisions2020
TYC 4515–485–1F5V>150without further estimates of the collisions2021
TYC 5940–1510–1G5V120without further estimates of the collisions2021
TYC 8105–370–1G9V130without further estimates of the collisions2021
BD-04 3234 F6V>150without further estimates of the collisions2021
TYC 9196-2916-1K4.5V85without further estimates of the collisions2022
2MASS J06091701-1508085G9V200without further estimates of the collisions2024
2MASS J07120655-4752423K3.5V240without further estimates of the collisions2024
CD-44 6765K0.5V5500without further estimates of the collisions2024
2MASS J20431522+1043355K4V250without further estimates of the collisions2024

List of EDD without collisions