New telescope array captures planet-forming disk

[sunshaker]

Thought this was cool.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/11/new-telescope-array-captures-planet-forming-disk-orbiting-distant-star/

 

 

[Sensei]

The most interesting part is:

"Existing models of planet formation suggest that the process shouldn't be able to produce bodies of sufficient size to create these gaps within the relatively short time that HL Tauri has existed. So, this will almost certainly not be the last time that ALMA directs its gaze to HL Tauri, and the full description of these observations may cause a rethink of our models of planetary formation."

[Robittybob1]

The most interesting part is:

"Existing models of planet formation suggest that the process shouldn't be able to produce bodies of sufficient size to create these gaps within the relatively short time that HL Tauri has existed. So, this will almost certainly not be the last time that ALMA directs its gaze to HL Tauri, and the full description of these observations may cause a rethink of our models of planetary formation."

Do we have any idea of the scale?

[Mordred]

Nice article thanks for sharing

[Robittybob1]

Looking up about HL Tau in Wikipedia as a start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HL_Tauri

 

 

Based on observation data in 1985 and 1986 from the Millimeter Wave Interferometer of the Owens Valley Radio Observatory, the circumstellar disk was estimated to have a mass between 0.01 M_☉ and 0.5 M_☉, with a best fit of 0.1 M_☉, and a radius of about 2,000 AU. The temperature of the gas and grains of the disk are probably of the order of a few tens of kelvins. The gas was found to be bound to and in Keplerian rotation around a star with a mass of about 1 M_☉.

So it has a similar mass to our solar system and has a radius of 2,000 AU That seems rather large considering Pluto is 39.5 AU.

I don't know if the photo covers those dimensions or not; probably not or else the protostar would still be 50 AU across.

[sunshaker]

Do we have any idea of the scale?

This image compares the size of the Solar System with HL Tauri and its surrounding protoplanetary disc. Although the star is much smaller than the Sun, the disc around HL Tauri stretches out to almost three times as far from the star as Neptune is from the Sun.

 

Looks to me like eight planets are forming, I wonder if 8 planets per solar system will become most common number found.

 

 

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has snapped a striking view of a multiple star system called XZ Tauri, its neighbor HL Tauri and several nearby young stellar objects. XZ

 

 

alma short video

https://plus.google.com/photos/113507009175485747967/albums/6078773072225371281/6078773078921921570

 

Edited November 12, 2014 by sunshaker

[Robittybob1]

This image compares the size of the Solar System with HL Tauri and its surrounding protoplanetary disc. Although the star is much smaller than the Sun, the disc around HL Tauri stretches out to almost three times as far from the star as Neptune is from the Sun.

eso1436esolar system.jpg

 

Looks to me like eight planets are forming, I wonder if 8 planets per solar system will become most common number found.

 

 

 

eight?

Neptune is 30 AU from the Sun and if HL Tauri is 3 times wider that is a radius of 90 AU. Well that is better than the 2,000 mentioned in Wikipedia. Or did I misunderstand what Wikipedia meant?

HL Tauri Star is smaller (less massive?) where did you get that information? A less massive star would allow the planets to orbit at a greater distance. This could be a problem though for the mass is going to be spread over a much larger volume before accretion, but then there could more of it and less blown away. So there are plenty of variables. If it was too scattered you might not get any planets.

Thanks for answering my question. I've written to ALMA Observatory asking for an answer as well.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Robittybob1