A team of astronomers discovered a new proto-planetary disk after analyzing images collected by the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) observatory, according to a study published in the scientific journal Astrophysical Journal Letters. The cosmic object called Dracula’s Chivito has the largest amount of planet-forming material ever observed.
Although nicknamed Like Chivito in Dracula, this object is officially named IRAS 23077+6707 and is located approximately 800 light-years from Earth. The paper about the discovery was published on the arXiv preprint server on February 1, but was only officially published last Monday the 13th.
Researchers describe Dracula’s Chivito as being approximately 3,300 astronomical units (AU) wide; one AU represents the average distance between the Earth and the Sun; No wonder this is the largest distance ever detected by science. The interesting name pays homage to Uruguay’s popular chivito sandwich, as the disc has a very similar appearance.
“We report the serendipitous discovery of a large protoplanetary margin disk associated with the infrared source IRAS 23077+6707. The apparent size of the disk in the Pan-STARRS (PS1) images is approximately 11 inches, making it one of the largest known disks in the sky. It is probably still surrounded by a very faint envelope.” However, it is a young system that is still visible in the PS1 images in the northern part (alternatively, this structure may be filaments from the disk itself),” explained in the study.
Chivito from the protoplanetary disk Dracula
The Earth’s position relative to the disk is not very favorable, so it took scientists a while to find it; From the Earth’s surface it is only possible to observe it ‘from the side’. Data from the new research shows that: Dracula’s Chivito contains high levels of dust and gas; The star at the center of the disk region has a mass three to five times that of the Sun.
How does it present its features? Scientists, the building blocks of planets, point out that it is possible that some planets may have already formed in the region. However, the instruments used were insufficient to detect these so-called celestial objects. The team says space telescopes such as Hubble and James Webb could help in the search for answers.
“Protoplanetary disks provide the physical and thermochemical resources for planet formation and are a natural and ubiquitous byproduct of the star formation process. In this paper, IRAS 23077+6707 (named ‘Dracula’s Chivito’ or ‘DraChi’ by Berghea) “We present the first resolved observations with the submillimeter Array (SMA) and the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS),” the paper adds.
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Source: Tec Mundo
I’m Blaine Morgan, an experienced journalist and writer with over 8 years of experience in the tech industry. My expertise lies in writing about technology news and trends, covering everything from cutting-edge gadgets to emerging software developments. I’ve written for several leading publications including Gadget Onus where I am an author.
