Astronomers have observed a handful of such first-generation survivors revolving around white dwarfs, but never before have they recorded a so-called second-generation planet - an entirely new world made from a dead star’s debris.

“What’s interesting about planets orbiting close to white dwarfs is that because white dwarfs cool over time, their habitable zone is very stable. A second-generation planet could form and then be in the habitable zone for tens of billions of years,” Williams said.