Artist's concept of exoplanet orbiting Fomalhaut
This illustration shows the newly discovered planet, Fomalhaut b, orbiting its sun, Fomalhaut.
This structure is a Saturn-like ring that astronomers say may encircle the planet. Fomalhaut also is surrounded by a ring of material. The edge of this vast disk is shown in the background as the curving cloud-like feature that appears to intersect the 200-million year-old star. Fomalhaut b lies three billion kilometres inside the disk's inner edge. The planet completes an orbit around Fomalhaut every 872 years.
Credit:ESA, NASA and L. Calçada (ESO)
About the Image
NASA press release
Id: | heic0821b |
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Type: | Artwork |
Release date: | 13 November 2008, 20:30 |
Related releases: | heic0821 |
Size: | 3000 x 2000 px |
About the Object
Name: | Fomalhaut, Fomalhaut b |
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Type: | Milky Way : Star : Circumstellar Material : Planetary System Milky Way : Star : Circumstellar Material : Disk |
Distance: | 25 light years |
Category: | Exoplanets |