Media Information

 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Title:
Massive Smash-up at Vega
Original Caption Released with Image:
This artist concept illustrates how a massive collision of objects perhaps as large as the planet Pluto smashed together to create the dust ring around the nearby star Vega. New observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope indicate the collision took place within the last one million years. Astronomers think that embryonic planets smashed together, shattered into pieces, and repeatedly crashed into other fragments to create ever finer debris.

In the image, a collision is seen between massive objects that measured up to 2,000 kilometers (about 1,200 miles) in diameter. Scientists say the big collision initiated subsequent collisions that created dust particles around the star that were a few microns in size. Vega's intense light blew these fine particles to larger distances from the star, and also warmed them to emit heat radiation that can be detected by Spitzer's infrared detectors.
Image Credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Produced By:
California Institute of Technology
Mission:
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Spacecraft:
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Target Name:
Vega
Product Size:
3000 samples x 2400 lines
facet_what:
SST
facet_what:
Pluto
facet_what:
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what:
VEGA
facet_where:
California
facet_where:
Pluto
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Image #:
PIA07217
UID:
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA07217
orignial url:

Massive Smash-up at Vega