IRAS 23077+6707: A Turbulent Protoplanetary Disk – Located approximately 1,000 light-years away, this young star exhibits an unexpectedly chaotic and turbulent surrounding protoplanetary disk, with material fragments extending farther than what astronomers have previously observed in similar systems. For more details, check the study here.
This Hubble image showcases the protoplanetary disk surrounding IRAS 23077+6707. Image credit: NASA / ESA / STScI / K. Monsch, CfA / J. DePasquale, STScI.
Protoplanetary disks, rich in dust and gas, form around young stars and serve as primary locations for planet formation.
The disk surrounding IRAS 23077+6707 spans approximately 644 billion km (400 billion miles), making it about 40 times the diameter of our solar system, reaching to the outer Kuiper belt.
This vast disk obscures the star, which scientists suggest could be a massive star or potentially a binary star system.
Not only is this disk the largest known for planet formation, but its unique characteristics also make it exceptionally rare.
“It’s uncommon to capture such fine detail in protoplanetary disks. The new Hubble images suggest that planetary nurseries might be much more dynamic and chaotic than we previously thought,” explained Dr. Christina Monsch, an astronomer at Harvard University and the Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
“Observing this disk nearly head-on reveals its delicate upper layers and asymmetrical features,” she added.
Both the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have glimpsed similar structures, but IRAS 23077+6707 allows for unmatched visibility of its substructure in visible light.
This unique perspective makes it an exceptional laboratory for studying planet formation and the environments in which it occurs.
Edge-on, these disks resemble hamburgers, with bright upper and lower layers of glowing dust and gas, separated by a dark central lane.
In addition to its significant height, the new images reveal that vertical filament-like structures only appear on one side of the disk, indicating an uneven distribution of material.
“We were astonished by how asymmetric this disk appeared,” noted Dr. Joshua Bennett Lovell from the Harvard University & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
“Hubble provides us with an exceptional view of the chaotic processes involved in the formation of disks and new planets. This process remains poorly understood, but these insights allow for fresh study opportunities.”
All planetary systems originate from a disk of gas and dust surrounding young stars. Over time, gas is absorbed by the star while planets form from the remaining material.
IRAS 23077+6707 might act as an extended analog to the early Solar System, with an estimated disk mass between 10 to 30 times that of Jupiter, providing sufficient material for multiple gas giant planets.
This and other discoveries make IRAS 23077+6707 an extraordinary case for examining planetary system formation.
“Theoretically, IRAS 23077+6707 could support a vast planetary system,” Dr. Monch stated.
“While planet formation may differ in such expansive conditions, the fundamental processes are likely akin to those in smaller systems.”
“At this point, we have more questions than answers, but these new images serve as a valuable foundation for understanding how planets evolve in diverse environments.”
Findings are set to be published in the Astrophysical Journal and can be accessed here.
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Christina Monche et al. 2025. Hubble reveals the complex multiscale structure of the edge-on protoplanetary disk IRAS 23077+6707. APJ in press. arXiv: 2510.11819
Source: www.sci.news
