NICMOS Peers Through Dust to Reveal Young Stellar Disks. A View of IRAS 04248+2612
Depicts: IRAS 04248+2612
Copyright: D. Padgett (IPAC/Caltech), W. Brandner (IPAC), K. Stapelfeldt (JPL) and NASA
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In this image of IRAS 04248+2612, the infrared
eyes of NICMOS peer through a dusty cloud to reveal a double-star system
in formation. A nebula extends at least 65 billion miles in opposite
directions from the twin stars, and is illuminated by them. This nebula
was formed from material ejected by the young star system. The apparent
"pinching" of this nebula close to the binary suggests that a ring or
disk of dust and gas surrounds the two stars.
Last Update: 1 September 2019