Beta Pictoris Disk Hides Giant Elliptical Ring System

The planetary dust disk around the star Beta Pictoris is dynamically 'ringing like a bell, ' according to astronomers investigating NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope images. The 'clapper' is the gravitational wallop of a star that passed near Beta Pictoris some 100, 000 years ago.

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About the Image

NASA press release
Id:opo0002b
Type:Observation
Release date:15 January 2000, 15:20
Size:271 x 300 px

About the Object

Name:Beta Pictoris, IRAS 05460-5104
Type:Milky Way : Star : Circumstellar Material : Planetary System
Distance:70 light years
Category:Exoplanets
Stars

Image Formats

r.titleLarge JPEG
17.0 KB
r.titleScreensize JPEG
63.7 KB

Colours & filters

BandTelescope
Optical Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2

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