main page newsspace newsastronomers have seen the young solar systems

Astronomers have seen the young Solar Systems. / July 22, 2009 /

Scientists from the Smithsonian Astronomical Observatory photographed nine young stars in the Ophiucus constellation and concluded that around some of them probably has begun the process of forming ekzoplanet already.

For the scientists used an array of telescopes SMA, located in Hawaii. This array, consisting of eight 6-meter telescopes allows to record electromagnetic radiation in the submillimetre wavelength with extraordinary precision. With this tool, researchers collected data on the composition of protoplanetnyh discs around the world, as well as the processes occurring within them.

Combining the data collected from computer modeling, the researchers found that around three-star formation of gas giants probably already begun. Scientists note that shone around the rest of the formation of planets is also possible. The study examined protoplanetnye drives a radius of 40 astronomical units (average distance from Earth to the Sun). The researchers hope that their findings will help in studying the early development stages of planetary systems.

The new work is mainly on the formation of gas giants around stars. More recently, scientists managed to prove that such objects are formed around the world almost two times faster than thought so far. The opening was made after studying a large number of Sun-like stars. Astronomers been able to establish that in the age of about 5 million years of losing their protoplanetny drive, and the formation of planets is terminated. Previously, researchers believed that the discs remain in the stars, yet they do not turn around 10 million years.

Print version