Zoom-in on IRAS 13481-6124

Astronomers have been able to obtain the first image of a dusty disc closely encircling a massive baby star, providing direct evidence that massive stars do form in the same way as their smaller brethren — and closing an enduring debate.

The team of astronomers looked at an object, known by the cryptic name of IRAS 13481-6124. About twenty times the mass of our Sun and five times its radius, the young central star, which is still surrounded by its pre-natal cocoon, is located in the constellation of Centaurus, about 10 000 light-years away.

Credit:

ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2/Spitzer/NASA/JPL/S. Kraus. Music: John Dyson (from the album "Moonwind")

Over de video

Id:eso1029a
Publicatiedatum:14 juli 2010 19:00
Gerelateerde berichten:eso1029
Duur:47 s
Frame rate:30 fps

Over het object

Categorie:Stars

HD


Large

Grote QT
8,8 MB

Medium

Video Podcast
6,3 MB
Medium MPEG-1
16,3 MB
Medium Flash
7,0 MB

Small

Kleine Flash
3,4 MB
Kleine QT
2,4 MB

For Broadcasters