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Red dust in planet-forming disk may harbor precursors to life
January 04, 2008Washington, DC- Astronomers at the Carnegie Institution have found the first indications of highly complex organic molecules in the disk of red dust surrounding a distant star. The eight-million-year-old star, known as HR 4796A, is inferred to be in the late stages of planet formation, suggesting that the basic building blocks of life may be common in planetary systems.
In a study published in the current Astrophysical Journal Letters, John Debes and Alycia Weinberger of the Carnegie Institution's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism with Glenn Schneider of the University of Arizona report observations of infrared light from HR 4796A using the Near-Infrared Multi-Object Spectrometer aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. The researchers found that the spectrum of visible and infrared light scattered by the star's dust disk looks very red, the color produced by large organic carbon molecules called tholins. The spectrum does not match those of other red substances, such as iron oxide.
"Until recently it's been hard to know what makes up the dust in a disk from scattered light, so to find tholins this way represents a great leap in our understanding," says Debes.
HR 4796A is located in the constellation Centaurus, visible primarily form the southern hemisphere. It is about 220 light years from Earth. The discovery of its dust disk in 1991generated excitement among astronomers, who consider it a prime example of a planetary system caught in the act of formation. The dust is generated by collisions of small bodies, perhaps similar to the comets or asteroids in our solar system, and which may be coated by the organics. These planetesimals can deliver these building blocks for life to any planets that may also be circling the star.
"Astronomers are just beginning to look for planets around stars much different from the Sun. HR 4796A is twice as massive, nearly twice as hot as the sun, and twenty times more luminous than the Sun," says Debes. "Studying this system provides new clues to understanding the different conditions under which planets form and, perhaps, life can evolve."
Carnegie Institution
Solar System Current Events and Solar System News RSSCaltech scientists explain puzzling lake asymmetry on Titan
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) suggest that the eccentricity of Saturn's orbit around the sun may be responsible for the unusually uneven distribution of lakes over the northern and southern polar regions of the planet's largest moon, Titan.
A bubbling ball of gas
The Sun is a bubbling mass. Packages of gas rise and sink, lending the sun its grainy surface structure, its granulation. Dark spots appear and disappear, clouds of matter dart up - and behind the whole thing are the magnetic fields, the engines of it all.
UT Knoxville and ORNL researchers turn algae into high-temperature hydrogen source
In the quest to make hydrogen as a clean alternative fuel source, researchers have been stymied about how to create usable hydrogen that is clean and sustainable without relying on an intensive, high-energy process that outweighs the benefits of not using petroleum to power vehicles.
Follow Rosetta's final Earth boost
ESA's comet chaser Rosetta will swing by Earth for the last time on 13 November to pick up energy and begin the final leg of its 10-year journey to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. ESA's European Space Operations Centre will host a media briefing on that day.
'Ultra-primitive' particles found in comet dust
Dust samples collected by high-flying aircraft in the upper atmosphere have yielded an unexpectedly rich trove of relicts from the ancient cosmos, report scientists from the Carnegie Institution.
A special issue on the International Workshop of the 2008 Solar Total Eclipse
On August 1, 2008 a total solar eclipse was visible within a narrow corridor that traversed from North America to China.
Physicist makes new high-res panorama of Milky Way
Cobbling together 3000 individual photographs, a physicist has made a new high-resolution panoramic image of the full night sky, with the Milky Way galaxy as its centerpiece.
A Long Night Falls Over Saturn's Rings
As Saturn's rings orbit the planet, a section is typically in the planet's shadow, experiencing a brief night lasting from 6 to 14 hours. However, once approximately every 15 years, night falls over the entire visible ring system for about four days.
Satellite reveals surprising cosmic 'weather' at edge of solar system
The first solar system energetic particle maps show an unexpected landmark occurring at the outer edge of the solar wind bubble surrounding the solar system.
Meteorite from September 25 fireball event recovered and presented
When Tony Garchinski heard a loud crash just after 9 p.m. on Friday, September 25 he didn't think much of it. That is, until he awoke the next morning to find the windshield of his mom's Nissan Pathfinder with a huge crack in it. Making note of the 'unusual' rocks he later found on the car's hood, Garchinski chalked the incident up to vandalism and filed a police report.
More Solar System Current Events and Solar System News Articles
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3-D Solar System by University Games This kit is astronomical! A glow-in-the-dark solar system is a fun way to experience the wonders of astronomy. Hang the planets from your ceiling and re-create the captivating cosmos right in your bedroom. Includes all 9 planets plus 25 feet of string, 200 glow-in-the-dark adhesive stars and a planetary guide booklet. |
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There's No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library) by Tish Rabe (Author), Aristides Ruiz (Illustrator) Au revoir, Pluto! In this newly revised, bestselling backlist title, beginning readers and budding astronomers are launched on a wild trip to visit the now eight planets in our solar system (per the International Astronomical Union’s 2006 decision to downgrade Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet), along with the Cat in the Hat, Thing One, Thing Two, Dick, and Sally. It’s a reading adventure that’s out of this world! |
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3D solar system kit by Toysmith Learn about the nine planets as you build your very own 29.5-inch hanging mobile of the Solar System! Snap together planets and then color them with the included paints -- including two that glow-in-the-dark! An educational poster provides facts about each of the nine worlds. Availability:: Usually ships within one business day. |
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Our Solar System (revised edition) by Seymour Simon (Author) Born almost 5 billion years ago at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, our Solar System is a place filled with mystery and wonder. In the last fifty years, we have learned more than ever about the farthest reaches of our world. With dramatic full-color photographs and spacecraft images, Our Solar System takes young readers on a fascinating tour of the sun, the eight planets, and their moons, plus asteroids, comets, and meteoroids. Award-winning science writer Seymour Simon has teamed up with the Smithsonian Institution on this new, updated edition of his much admired book about the vast and mystifying part of the universe that we live in. |
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Toysmith 4 M Solar System Planetarium # 3427 by Toy Smith Build your own glow-in-the-dark planetarium with this creative kit. Contains model with stand, brush, paint strip, instructions and more. Assembled model has a 11 3/4 inch span. |
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Uncle Milton Solar System In My Room by Uncle Milton An Orbiting Solar System right in your room! Now you can explore the wonders of the solar system right in your own room! Just look up at your ceiling and watch as all nine planets orbit around the light-up sun. Listen as the audio CD takes you on a fascinating tour of our solar system. Use the included light-pointer to locate each planet and make comets and meteors streak through the night sky. Ages 6 and up with Adult assistance recommended. |
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The Planets in Our Solar System (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2) by Franklyn M. Branley (Author), Kevin O'malley (Illustrator) You live on Earth, so you already know a lot about it. But do you know about its place in out solar system? For instance, it's not the largest planet. If Jupiter were a hallow ball, 1,000 Earths would fit inside it. And did you know our planet Earth takes 365 days to go around the sun, while the planet Pluto takes 248 years? This simple text by Franklyn M. Branely introduces the nine planets in our solar system and is complemented by Kevin O'Malley's full-color illustrations, which incorporate some of the newest space photographs available. How hot is it on Venus? Which planet takes longest to orbit the sun? Find out the answers in this updated version of this popular text. Kevin OMalleys often humorous illustrations depict a group of children and an astronomer as they learn all about... |
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Melissa & Doug Solar System 48pc Floor by Melissa and Doug Melissa & Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle (48pc) Jigsaw puzzles stimulate eye movement, hand/eye coordination, and matching skills, which help prepare children for reading. The Melissa & Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle provides out-of-this-world learning for your little one. Measuring at 24" x 36", the jumbo puzzle is great for little hands and growing minds. Our entire solar system is colorfully portrayed, and each planet is labeled for your child to identify. The puzzle is made of extra-thick cardboard and built to last! Order the Melissa & Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle (48pc) today! |
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Our Solar System College Poster Print, 36x24 by AllPosters.com AllPosters.com is the world's #1 seller of posters, prints, photographs, specialty products and framed art. We're dedicated to bringing our customers the best selection of high quality wall décor that is perfect for their home or office. Browse our catalog of over 300,000 items that include entertainment and specialty posters, decorative prints, and art reproductions. Whether you're looking for your favorite movie or music poster, a framed Monet reproduction, or a print of the Eiffel Tower you will find it at AllPosters.com. Visit our Amazon store today at www.amazon.com/allposters to find Special Offers and search by subject category or artist. AllPosters.com provides unmatched service with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We ship internationally to over 80 countries. Decorate your... |
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The Complete Book of Our Solar System (Complete Book Series) by School Specialty Publishing (Author) |
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