Astronomers make first clear detection of a moon-forming disc around an exoplanet
Quote:
Using the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which the European Southern Observatory (ESO) is a partner, astronomers have unambiguously detected the presence of a disc around a planet outside our Solar System for the first time. The observations will shed new light on how moons and planets form in young stellar systems.
In addition, with the help of ALMA, Benisty and her team found that the disc has about the same diameter as the distance from our Sun to the Earth
wait... what? The disc is 1AU in size? Did I understand that right - if so, that's massive. I didn't realise these moon forming discs would get so large.
Astronomers make first clear detection of a moon-forming disc around an exoplanet
