First millimeter-wavelength image of HD 53143 reveals marked eccentricity (IMAGE)

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

First millimeter-wavelength image of HD 53143 reveals marked eccentricity

Caption

While studying HD 53143— a roughly billion-year-old Sun-like star— in millimeter-wavelengths for the first time, scientists discovered that the star’s debris disk is highly eccentric. Unlike ring-shaped debris disks, in which the star sits in the center, HD 53143 is located at one foci of an elliptical-shaped disk, and is shown as the unresolved dot below and left of center. Scientists believe a second unresolved dot in the north of this image to be a planet that is perturbing and shaping the debris disk.

Credit

ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), M. MacGregor (U. Colorado Boulder), S. Dagnello (NRAO/AUI/NSF),

Usage Restrictions

Credit must be given to the creator. Adaptations must be shared under the same terms.

License

CC BY-SA

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.