The dusty ring around the aging double star IRAS 08544-4431

The Very Large Telescope Interferometer at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile has obtained the sharpest view ever of the dusty disc around the close pair of aging stars IRAS 08544-4431. For the first time such discs can be compared to the discs around young stars — and they look surprisingly similar. It is even possible that a disc appearing at the end of a star’s life might also create a second generation of planets.

This view shows the VLTI reconstructed image, with the brighter central star removed. A fainter glow from the secondary star is visible, which came as a surprise to the observers.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso1608b
Type:Observation
Release date:9 March 2016, 12:00
Related releases:eso1608
Size:1584 x 1584 px

About the Object

Name:IRAS 08544-4431
Type:Milky Way : Star : Circumstellar Material : Disk
Distance:4000 light years
Constellation:Vela
Category:Stars

Image Formats

Large JPEG
112.9 KB
Screensize JPEG
48.7 KB

Zoomable


Wallpapers

1024x768
58.9 KB
1280x1024
79.7 KB
1600x1200
105.8 KB
1920x1200
129.6 KB
2048x1536
153.4 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):8 56 14.18
Position (Dec):-44° 43' 10.71"
Field of view:0.01 x 0.01 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° left of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Infrared
H
1.65 μmVery Large Telescope
PIONIER