disk instability

The Hubble and FU Orionis: a New Look at an Old Mystery

In 1936 astronomers watched as FU Orionis, a dim star in the Orion constellation, brightened dramatically. The star's brightness increased…

4 weeks ago

Some Young Planets Are Flattened Smarties, not Spheres.

One of contemporary astronomy's most pressing questions concerns planet formation. We can see more deeply than ever into very young…

11 months ago

The Youngest Planetary Disks Ever Seen

How long does planet formation take? Maybe not as long as we thought, according to new research. Observations with the…

12 months ago

TESS Shows That Even Small Stars Can Host Giant Planets

Can low-mass stars play host to giant, Jupiter-sized planets? Theories of planet formation suggest that it's highly unlikely. But a…

2 years ago

Hubble Has Been Watching This Planet Form for 13 Years

Hubble's most remarkable feature might be its longevity. The Hubble has been operating for almost 32 years and has fed…

3 years ago