Universe ID: 10847

Spiral Arms Point to Possible Planets in a Star's Dusty Disk

Released on October 19, 2011

A new image of the disk of gas and dust around a sun-like star is the first to show spiral-arm-like structures. These features may provide clues to the presence of embedded but as-yet-unseen planets.

The newly imaged disk surrounds SAO 206462, an 8.7-magnitude star located about 456 light-years away in the constellation Lupus. Astronomers estimate that the system is only about 9 million years old. The gas-rich disk spans some 14 billion miles, which is more than twice the size of Pluto's orbit in our own solar system.

The Subaru near-infrared image reveals a pair of spiral features arcing along the outer disk. Theoretical models show that a single embedded planet may produce a spiral arm on each side of a disk. The structures around SAO 206462 do not form a matched pair, suggesting the presence of two unseen worlds, one for each arm.

Two spiral arms emerge from the gas-rich disk around SAO 206462, a young star in the constellation Lupus. This image, acquired by the Subaru Telescope and its HiCIAO instrument, is the first to show spiral arms in a circumstellar disk. The disk itself is some 14 billion miles across, or about twice the size of Pluto's orbit in our own solar system.

Credit: NAOJ/Subaru

For More Information

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/possible-planets.html

Credits

Donna Cox (AVL NCSA/University of Illinois): Lead Animator
A. J. Christensen (AVL NCSA/University of Illinois): Animator
Matthew Hall (AVL NCSA/University of Illinois): Animator
Alex Betts (AVL NCSA/University of Illinois): Animator
Stuart Levy (AVL NCSA/University of Illinois): Animator
Robert Patterson (AVL NCSA/University of Illinois): Animator
Scott Wiessinger (USRA): Video Editor
Scott Wiessinger (USRA): Producer
Francis Reddy (SPSYS): Writer

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. However, individual elements should be credited as indicated.