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Illustration of the Dynamics of a Proplyd

Illustration of the Dynamics of a Proplyd
As fine dust particles clump together deep inside the protoplanetary disk, ultraviolet radiation from a nearby hot star eats away at the disk. The outer portions of the gas bubble are then heated and removed by energetic ultraviolet radiation. Material falling from the disk toward the central object fuels twin gas jets.
  • Release Date
    April 26, 2001
  • Science Release
    ‘Survivor’ Planets: Astronomers Witness First Steps of Planet Growth – and Destruction
    Read the release
  • Credit
    Illustration Credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI)

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Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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