stargazer observing a distant planet - forming disk of junk and gashave foundthat it is much colder than require . The determination , publish inAstronomy & Astrophysics Letters , could have implications for how planetary system course .
This research was carried out by an outside squad led by Stephane Guilloteau at the Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux , France . They study the young champion 2MASS J16281370 - 2431391 , site 400 wakeful - years from Earth , which is surrounded by a protoplanetary disk .
These magnetic disc are formed in the early stages of a planetary system ; a alike disk of dust and gas give rise to the planet , synodic month , and other eubstance in our own Solar System . And with advance in telescope , we are pop out to get better and better at observing other disks in our beetleweed .
This finical disk , nicknamed the “ Flying Saucer ” for its appearance , proved to be rather unusual . Most models predict that the temperature of dust cereal in such disks should be between -258 and -253 ° C ( absolute zero is -273.15 ° C ) . This disk , though , had grains at a much colder temperature of -266 ° C , at a space about 15 billion kilometers ( 9 billion miles ) from the star .
It might seem like a minor departure , but there are some intriguing implications . Namely , it means the junk grain may have different attribute than those expected . For model , a colder temperature may mean the grain are larger , which suggests the platter could arise to huge masses , allowing for the formation of a mountain chain of planets at all distances from the superstar – include giant major planet in near eye socket , something we have alot of evidence forbut no upstanding account for their establishment .
“ To knead out the impact of this find on disk structure , we have to obtain what plausible dust prop can result in such low-down temperature , ” articulate report coauthor Emmanuel di Folco in astatement . “ We have a few ideas – for example , the temperature may calculate on caryopsis size of it , with the big grains cooler than the small-scale ones . But it is too other to be indisputable . ”
These termination were obtained by combining measure from the Atacama Large Milimeter / submillimeter Array ( ALMA ) in Chile and theIRAM30 - meter telescope in Spain .
