Schematic view of a transitional disc around a young star

Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have found telltale differences between the gaps in the gas and the dust in discs around four young stars. These new observations are the clearest indications yet that planets with masses several times that of Jupiter have recently formed in these discs.

This schematic diagram shows how the dust (brown) and gas (blue) is distributed around the star, and how a young planet is clearing the central gap.

Credit:

ESO/M. Kornmesser

About the Image

Id:eso1549b
Type:Artwork
Release date:16 December 2015, 12:00
Related releases:eso1549
Size:3840 x 2268 px

About the Object

Type:Milky Way : Star : Circumstellar Material : Disk
Category:Illustrations

Image Formats

Large JPEG
668.8 KB
Screensize JPEG
74.1 KB

Zoomable


Wallpapers

1024x768
112.1 KB
1280x1024
157.8 KB
1600x1200
211.6 KB
1920x1200
245.0 KB
2048x1536
307.1 KB