When astronomers talk about a double star, they are actually talking about two stars orbiting each other. Thus, two stars engaged in a rather tight dance have just observed three different protoplanetary disks, likely giving rise to three distinct planetary systems!
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[EN VIDÉO] outer planets What are exoplanets, where are they located and why are they interesting? The answer is in the video!
The Astronomy scientists It’s called SVS 13. It’s a file Binary system rising stars. a double star Which is located only about 980 light-years from our Earth, in Cloud Perseus molecule. The two stars that make up it – with a total mass almost equivalent to ours the sun – They are very close to each other. Almost 90 times The distance between our sun and our earth – Slightly more than twice the distance between the Sun and Pluto.
But what makes it really special eyes From University of Manchester researchers (UK), that they noticed around him, not one, not two, but actually three disks of gas and dust. From protoplanetary discs can give birth to three Planetary systems dormant.
By examining thirty years of data collected using very large array (VLA), A radio telescope Located in New Mexico (USA), and recently, the Atacama Large Millimeter/ Sub-millimeter Air Array (Alma, Chile), astronomers came to the conclusion that all star From SVS 13 it is surrounded by a disk of gas and dust – which is 30 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. And that an additional disk of protoplanets, larger than the others – extending up to 500 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun – has formed around the two stars. Spiral-fed disc Thing the other two protoplanetary discs.
Planetary systems ready to welcome life?
This study is the most detailed ever done on SVS 13. It tracks the movements of the two stars that make up it over the course of thirty years. what to go back to orbitalsbut also to system engineering and routing, to star cluster emerging or to the mass and temperature of protoplanetary disks.
Astronomers even provide the composition of the gases and dust that make up them. They identified nearly thirty different molecules. Among them, thirteen are complex organic molecules. Signs of life. “ This means that when planets begin to form around these two suns, the building blocks of life will be there.”enthusiast Ana Carla Diaz Rodriguez, researcher at UK Regional Center Almain one University of Manchester press release.
Most nearly 5000 outer planets Today confirmed it was discovered orbiting single stars. Astronomers believe that binary – or even multiple – systems constitute a somewhat complex gravitational environment to kick-start the planet formation process. But this work provides important new information that will test the formation models of these systems. To put it to the test and perhaps also to complete it for a better understanding of the conditions under which binary star systems – which, let us remember, are very numerous inbeing – Planets can give birth.
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