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

  • Released Wednesday, October 19, 2011
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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.

Simulations of young stellar systems suggest that planets embedded in a circumstellar disk can produce many distinctive structures, including rings, gaps and spiral arms. This video compares computer simulations of hypothetical systems to the Subaru image of SAO 206462.

Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/NCSA

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

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

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. No Labels. Credit: NAOJ/Subaru

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. No Labels.

Credit: NAOJ/Subaru

For More Information

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

Credits

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

This page was originally published on Wednesday, October 19, 2011.
This page was last updated on Sunday, January 5, 2025 at 12:16 AM EST.

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The media on this page originally appeared on the following tapes:
  • Spiral Arms Point to Possible Planets in a Star's Dusty Disk (ID: 2011112)
    Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 4:00AM
    Produced by - Robert Crippen (NASA)