New planets are forming around the star HL Tauri
The new images released by researchers from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) show in stunning detail, the formation of new planetary bodies around a young star named HL Tauri. In the image, the ALMA(Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) telescopes have managed to take a close look at the newly formed star HL Tauri which is estimated to be around 450 light years away from the earth.
In the image, a set of concentric bright rings, separated by gaps are seen. These features, according to the European Southern Observatory are the result of the formation of new planet like bodies around the newly formed star. This image is almost a mirror of what our own young solar system might have looked like a few billion years ago when the young Sun had just formed. However, in its present form the planetary system under formation round HL Tauri is way bigger than our own solar system.
It is a widely accepted fact that our solar system was formed out of a giant gas cloud. However, the discovery of this new budding star and planetary system will help us study the formation of our own solar system in detail. Also pertinent to note is the fact that whatever we have postulated about the origins of our solar system is simply theory.
You can find more photos and information here http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1436/
In the image, a set of concentric bright rings, separated by gaps are seen. These features, according to the European Southern Observatory are the result of the formation of new planet like bodies around the newly formed star. This image is almost a mirror of what our own young solar system might have looked like a few billion years ago when the young Sun had just formed. However, in its present form the planetary system under formation round HL Tauri is way bigger than our own solar system.
It is a widely accepted fact that our solar system was formed out of a giant gas cloud. However, the discovery of this new budding star and planetary system will help us study the formation of our own solar system in detail. Also pertinent to note is the fact that whatever we have postulated about the origins of our solar system is simply theory.
You can find more photos and information here http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1436/