A Disk of Gas and Dust Surrounding Young Star HD 142527
Astrophotography・
ALMA and the Subaru Telescope photographed the disk of gas and dust surrounding the young star HD 142527. ALMA observations of the dust distribution are shown in red; the gas distribution is shown in green; and the image of the disk observed in the near-infrared by the Subaru Telescope is shown in blue. The disks around young stars are thought to be where planets form. In the case of HD 142527, a large amount of dust is collecting on the North side (upwards in this image.) Do you think a planet might be forming here?
A Giant Planetary System being Born
The distance from HD 142527 in the center to the location where the dust is gathering is about 5 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. This was the first observation to prove that it is possible to have planet formation this far away from a new star. It can be said that these observational results are nearing the root of the diversity in the many extrasolar planets found in recent years.
For more information, please refer to the press release “ALMA Discovers a Formation Site of a Giant Planetary System”
Text by: Masaaki Hiramatsu (NAOJ Chile Observatory)
Translation by: Ramsey Lundock (NAOJ)
Image Data
| Date | June - August 2012 (ALMA), June 2004 (Subaru Telescope) |
|---|---|
| Telescopes | ALMA, Subaru Telescope |
| Wavelengths | 890 micrometer, 907 micrometer (ALMA), 1.65 micrometer (Subaru Telescope) |
| Cameras | ALMA Band 7 Receiver, CIAO on the Subaru Telescope |
| Credit | ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), NAOJ, Fukagawa et al. |