Dusty disk

Visible light image of the circumstellar disk around the nearby young star AU Microscopium discovered with the University of Hawaii’s 2.2-meter telescope. The disk is seen edge-on, revealed by starlight scattering off of small dust grains. The outer extent is about 210 astronomical units. Analysis of the radiation from AU Microscopium shows that the inner disk is cleared of material, indirect evidence for newly formed planets in the inner regions (photo credit: University of Hawaii).

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