Proplyds: Infant Solar Systems?
Explanation:
Are planets common in our galaxy? Strong evidence that the
answer is "yes" was provided in
this 1994 image made by the
Hubble Space Telescope
.
A close-up of the
Orion Nebulae,
it reveals what seem to be disks of dust and gas surrounding
newly formed stars.
These fuzzy blobs, called
"
proplyds",
appear to be infant
solar systems in the
process of formation.
Of the five stars in this field which spans about 0.14 light years,
four appear to have associated proplyds - three bright ones and one dark one
seen in silhouette against the bright nebula.
A more complete survey of 110 stars in the region
found 56 with proplyds.
If extra-solar planetary systems are common place,
are there extra-terrestrial
civilizations out there as well?
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
