The Double Dust Disks of HD 95086
Explanation:
What do other star systems look like?
To help find out, astronomers are carrying out
detailed observations of nearby stars in infrared light to see which have
dust disks that might be forming planets.
Observations by
NASA's
Spitzer Space Telescope and
ESA's
Herschel Space Observatory
have found that
planetary system HD 95086
has two dust disks: a hot one near the parent star and a cooler one farther out.
An artist's illustration of how the system might appear is
featured here,
including hypothetical planets with large rings that orbit between the disks.
The planets may have created the large gap between the
disks by absorbing and deflecting
dust with their gravity.
HD 95086 is a blue
star about 60 percent more massive than our Sun
that lies about 300 light years from Earth and is visible with binoculars toward
the
constellation of
Carina.
Studying the
HD 95086 system
may help astronomers better understand the formation and evolution of our own
Solar
System
as well as the
Earth.
New Mirror Site:
APOD is now available from Serbia in Serbian.
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.
