A Rosetta stone for planet formation

Planets are formed from the disk of gas and dust around a star, but the mechanisms for doing so are imperfectly understood.

Gas is the key driver in the dynamical evolution of planets, for example, because it is the dominant component of the disk (by mass).

The timescale over which the gas dissipates sets the timescale for planet formation, yet its distribution in disks is just starting to be carefully measured.

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Source

Credit: ESO/Boccaletti et al.

This image shows the disc around the young star AB Aurigae in polarized near-infrared light as seen with the European Very Large Telescope’s SPHERE instrument.

Measurements of the molecular components of the disk at millimeter wavelengths reveal several unexpected properties including a warmer temperature, more dust, and a deficiency of sulfur.

Source / Image Courtesy

This video starts by showing a wide-field view of a region of the sky in the constellation of Auriga.

It then zooms in to show AB Auriga, a young star system where ESO’s Very Large Telescope has spotted signs of planet birth.