Dust ring around star offers new clues into planet formation
A NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope false-color near infrared image of a novel type of structure seen in space - a dust ring around a star. Superficially resembling Saturn's rings -- but on a vastly larger scale -- the 'hula-hoop' around the star called HR 4796A offers new clues into the possible presence of young planets.
Credit:About the Image
About the Object
| Name: | HR 4796A |
| Type: | Milky Way : Star : Grouping : Binary Milky Way : Star : Circumstellar Material : Planetary System Milky Way : Star : Circumstellar Material : Disk |
| Distance: | 250 light years |
| Category: | Exoplanets |
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Infrared Near-IR | 1.1 μm |
Hubble Space Telescope
NICMOS |