Artist's impression of Beta Pictoris

This artist's concept illustrates the preferred model for explaining ALMA observations of Beta Pictoris. The new observations from ALMA now show that the disc around the star is permeated by carbon monoxide gas. The presence of carbon monoxide could indicate that the Beta Pictoris planetary system may eventually become a good habitat for life. At the outer fringes of the system, the gravitational influence of a hypothetical giant planet (bottom left) captures comets into a dense, massive swarm (right) where frequent collisions occur.

Credit:

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy

About the Image

Id:eso1408a
Type:Artwork
Release date:6 March 2014, 20:00
Related releases:eso1408
Size:3839 x 2160 px

About the Object

Name:Beta Pictoris
Type:Milky Way : Star : Circumstellar Material : Planetary System
Category:Exoplanets
Illustrations
Stars

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