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Collection:
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NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
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Title:
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A Star's Close Encounter
Title
A Star's Close Encounter
Title
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Description:
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The potential planet-forming disk (or "protoplanetary disk") of a sun-like star is being violently ripped away by the powerful winds of a nearby hot O-type star in this image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. At up to 100 times the mass of sun-like stars, O stars are the most massive and energetic stars in the universe.
The O star can be seen to the right of the image, as the large orange spot with the white center. To the left, the comet like structure is actually a neighboring solar system that is being destroyed by the O star's powerful winds and intense ultraviolet light.
In a process called "photoevaporation," immense output from the O star heats up the nearby protoplanetary disk so much that gas and dust boil off, and the disk can no longer hold together. Photon (or light) blasts from the O star then strip the potential planet forming disk off its neighbor star by blowing away evaporated material. This effect is illustrated in the smaller system's comet like structure.
The system is located about 2,450 light-years away in the star-forming cloud IC 1396.
The image was taken with Spitzer's Multiband Imaging Photometer instrument at 24 microns. The picture is a pseudo-color stretch representing intensity. Yellow and white represent hot areas, whereas purple and blue represent relatively cooler, fainter regions.
Description
The potential planet-forming disk (or "protoplanetary disk") of a sun-like star is being violently ripped away by the powerful winds of a nearby hot O-type star in this image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. At up to 100 times the mass of sun-like stars, O stars are the most massive and energetic stars in the universe.
The O star can be seen to the right of the image, as the large orange spot with the white center. To the left, the comet like structure is actually a neighboring solar system that is being destroyed by the O star's powerful winds and intense ultraviolet light.
In a process called "photoevaporation," immense output from the O star heats up the nearby protoplanetary disk so much that gas and dust boil off, and the disk can no longer hold together. Photon (or light) blasts from the O star then strip the potential planet forming disk off its neighbor star by blowing away evaporated material. This effect is illustrated in the smaller system's comet like structure.
The system is located about 2,450 light-years away in the star-forming cloud IC 1396.
The image was taken with Spitzer's Multiband Imaging Photometer instrument at 24 microns. The picture is a pseudo-color stretch representing intensity. Yellow and white represent hot areas, whereas purple and blue represent relatively cooler, fainter regions.
Description
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Release Date:
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2006/10/03
Release_Date
2006/10/03
Release Date
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Release Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/Z. Balog (Univ. of Ariz./Univ. of Szeged)
Release_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Z. Balog (Univ. of Ariz./Univ. of Szeged)
Release Credit
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Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/Z. Balog (Univ. of Ariz./Univ. of Szeged)
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Z. Balog (Univ. of Ariz./Univ. of Szeged)
Image Credit
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Object name:
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HD206267 2MASSJ21385699 5730455 in IC1396
Object_name
HD206267 2MASSJ21385699 5730455 in IC1396
Object name
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Object type:
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O star photoevaporating disk
Object_type
O star photoevaporating disk
Object type
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Position (J2000):
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*RA: *21h38m57.09s *Dec: *57d30m46.50s
Position_(J2000)
*RA: *21h38m57.09s *Dec: *57d30m46.50s
Position (J2000)
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Distance:
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2,450 light-years
Distance
2,450 light-years
Distance
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Constellation:
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Cepheus
Constellation
Cepheus
Constellation
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Wavelength:
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24 Microns
Wavelength
24 Microns
Wavelength
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Image scale:
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238
Image_scale
238
Image scale
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Observers:
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Zoltan Balog (University of Arizona/University of Szeged)
George Rieke (University of Arizona)
Kate Y. L. Su (University of Arizona)
James Muzerolle (University of Arizona)
Erick T. Young (University of Arizona)
Observers
Zoltan Balog (University of Arizona/University of Szeged)
George Rieke (University of Arizona)
Kate Y. L. Su (University of Arizona)
James Muzerolle (University of Arizona)
Erick T. Young (University of Arizona)
Observers
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Instrument:
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MIPS
Instrument
MIPS
Instrument
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Exposure Date:
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06-23-2004
Exposure_Date
06-23-2004
Exposure Date
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Exposure Time:
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80s
Exposure_Time
80s
Exposure Time
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Orientation:
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North is left, West is up
Orientation
North is left, West is up
Orientation
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Related links:
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Related_links
Related links
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note:
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*Image without titles* Screen-Resolution (450x160): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…sig06-023a_small.jpg ] High-Resolution (1500x558): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Z. Balog (Univ. of Ariz./Univ. of Szeged)
note
*Image without titles* Screen-Resolution (450x160): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…sig06-023a_small.jpg ] High-Resolution (1500x558): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Z. Balog (Univ. of Ariz./Univ. of Szeged) note
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facet_what:
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Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
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facet_what:
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MIPS
facet_what
MIPS
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Cepheus
facet_what
Cepheus
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Arizona
facet_where
Arizona
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Washington, D.C.
facet_where
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
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facet_when:
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06-23-2004
facet_when
06-23-2004
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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2004
facet_when_year
2004
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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sig06-023
Image_#
sig06-023
Image #
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-SPITZ-sig06-023
UID
SPD-SPITZ-sig06-023
UID
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