Artist Impression HD 142527 (IMAGE)

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Artist Impression HD 142527

Caption

Artist impression of the HD 142527 binary star system based on data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The rendition shows a distinctive arc of dust (red) embedded in the protoplanetary disk. The red arc is free of gas, suggesting the carbon monoxide has "frozen out," forming a layer of frost on the dust grains in that region. Astronomers speculate this frost provides a boost to planet formation. The two dots in the center represent the two stars in the system.

Credit

Credit: B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF)

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