Zooming in on the Flying Saucer protoplanetary disc
This video takes us on a journey to the young star 2MASS J16281370-2431391 in the spectacular Rho Ophiuchi star formation region, about 400 light-years from Earth. This star is surrounded by a disc of gas and dust — a protoplanetary disc, the early stage in the creation of a planetary system. This particular disc is seen nearly edge-on, and its appearance in visible light pictures has led to its being nicknamed the Flying Saucer.
The final close-up infrared view of the Flying Saucer comes from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
Credit:ESO/N. Risinger (skysurvey.org)/S. Guisard (www.eso.org/~sguisard)/Digitized Sky Survey 2/NASA/ESA. Music: Johan B. Monell (www.johanmonell.com)
About the Video
| Id: | eso1604a |
| Release date: | 3 February 2016, 12:00 |
| Related releases: | eso1604 |
| Duration: | 50 s |
| Frame rate: | 30 fps |
About the Object
| Name: | Rho Ophiuchi |
| Type: | Milky Way : Nebula : Appearance : Emission |
| Category: | Nebulae Stars |
