 High-res JPEG (142k) High-res TIFF (9.6MB)
|
Top left: A normal ground-based infrared image (from the 2MASS survey)
shows a wide binary system. Top right: Gemini adaptive optics partially
corrects for blurring by the Earth's atmosphere, resolving one star in the
wide binary into a close pair of stars. Bottom left: A longer exposure
with Gemini adaptive optics reveals a fainter extended object near the
upper close pair. Bottom right: A close-up of this faint object shows it to be
an edge-on protoplanetary disk. This image must be credited to "UC Berkeley/CfA/Gemini Observatory/NOAO/NSF". |
 High-res JPEG (98k) High-res TIFF (14MB)
|
A close-up near-infrared image of the edge-on protoplanetary disk
discovered with Gemini adaptive optics. The disk appears as a dark lane,
and the star is hidden behind it. The two nebulosities on either side of
the disk are produced by light from the star reflecting off the top and
bottom of the disk. This image must be credited to "UC Berkeley/CfA/Gemini Observatory/NOAO/NSF". |
