Artist Conception – Page 13 – National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Illustration of two planets in protoplanetary disk feeding a young star.

Baby Planets Feed Their Mother Star

In this artist’s interpretation, baby planets forming around the young star HD 142527 are pulling streams of gas inward toward them as they grow. Much of the gas then overshoots the planets and continues inward to the portion of the disk close to the star, where it can eventually fall onto the star itself.

Illustration of the life cycle of massive stars.

Seeding Planets with Interesting Chemistry

The most massive stars in a cluster of stars have a tremendous impact on the formation and environment of the rest of the cluster, including the less-massive stars and their planets. The massive young stars are surrounded by “hot cores” that include copious organic material that later may be spewed into interstellar space by stellar winds and other processes. This can help “seed” star-forming regions with some of the chemicals found by the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and other telescopes.

Diagram of the parallax technique, showing the Earth in different positions with respect to the sun at different times of years, and the subsequently different place on the sky that the Pleiades appears.

Measuring the Distance to the Pleiades

Using the parallax technique, astronomers observe object at opposite ends of Earth’s orbit around the Sun to precisely measure its distance.

The Center of the Phoenix Cluster

Artist impression of galaxy at the center of the Phoenix Cluster. Powerful radio jets from the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy are creating giant radio bubbles (blue) in the ionized gas surrounding the galaxy. ALMA has detected cold molecular gas (red) hugging the outside of the bubbles. This material could eventually fall into the galaxy where it could fuel future star birth and feed the supermassive black hole.

VLA Yields New Insights on Solar Flares

Artist’s conception of particle acceleration in a solar flare.

Artist's conception of magnetic field lines twisting into a dusty protoplanetary disk around a young star.

Twisted Magnetic Fields Give New Insights on Star Formation

Magnetic field lines (purple) are twisted as they are dragged inward toward a swirling, dusty disk surrounding a young star in this artist’s conception.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
	Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.
	The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."
	AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.