Stunning first images of first protoplanetary disk WITH PLANET!
For decades the mechanism by which planets form around stars was not fully known. In the early stages of planet formation, gas surrounding a central star (typically in a nebula) spirals around that star forming a disk called an 'accretion disk'. Within this accretion disk it is believe that gas (and/or clumps of matter) accumulates to form planets. This accumulation of gas in to a planet would be seen as a gap (or dark ring) at the radius at which that planet is formed.
This is exactly what was reported by scientists working with data from ESO's aptly named "Very Large Telescope" (VLT).... not to be confused with the "Extremely Large Telescope"!
Interestingly enough, this planet is at a distance from its star similar to that of our Sun and Uranus, but its temperature is 1000degrees Celcius (Uranus is ~-215degrees). The scientists were also able to observe features of the atmosphere and composition of the gas giant, named PDS 70b.
Great news for the astrophysics community.
However, one image cannot explain the full picture and the many other possible mechanisms of planet formation. We will need to wait and see until the data is in... lots and lots of data.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2018/…/180702094040.htm
For decades the mechanism by which planets form around stars was not fully known. In the early stages of planet formation, gas surrounding a central star (typically in a nebula) spirals around that star forming a disk called an 'accretion disk'. Within this accretion disk it is believe that gas (and/or clumps of matter) accumulates to form planets. This accumulation of gas in to a planet would be seen as a gap (or dark ring) at the radius at which that planet is formed.
This is exactly what was reported by scientists working with data from ESO's aptly named "Very Large Telescope" (VLT).... not to be confused with the "Extremely Large Telescope"!
Interestingly enough, this planet is at a distance from its star similar to that of our Sun and Uranus, but its temperature is 1000degrees Celcius (Uranus is ~-215degrees). The scientists were also able to observe features of the atmosphere and composition of the gas giant, named PDS 70b.
Great news for the astrophysics community.
However, one image cannot explain the full picture and the many other possible mechanisms of planet formation. We will need to wait and see until the data is in... lots and lots of data.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2018/…/180702094040.htm
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