Source: timesofindia

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Context

Indian astronomers from the National Institute of Science Education and Research of Odisha have studied GG Tau A a rare triple-star system located 489 light-years from Earth.

Overview of GG Tau A

GG Tau A is no ordinary star system. Its unique characteristics include:

Triple-Star Configuration:

Three stars orbiting each other in a gravitational dance. Rare among the known star systems in the universe.

Age:

A young system only 1 to 5 million years old making it ideal for studying the initial stages of planetary formation.

Protoplanetary Disk:

Surrounding these stars is a disk of gas and dust the building blocks for planet formation.

Significance

Using radio telescopes in Chile’s Atacama Desert scientists focused on the coldest regions of the disk.

Temperatures range between 12 to 16 Kelvin (-261 to -257°C) lower than the freezing point of carbon monoxide.

Icy molecules freeze into tiny dust particles which are the precursors to planetary building blocks. These particles clump together in super-cold conditions forming larger structures over time.

Importance of Low Temperatures

Cold temperatures allow gas and dust to stick together.

Warmer regions inhibit this process making planet formation more challenging.

This study highlights that cold, icy conditions are essential for planet formation especially in distant systems.

Planet Formation in Multi-Star Systems

Challenges

The three stars exert complex gravitational forces on the surrounding disk. These interactions disrupt the disk creating unique challenges for planet formation.

Unlike single-star systems the gas and dust in GG Tau A’s disk behave unpredictably. This makes the system a natural laboratory for understanding planet formation in multi-star environments.

Planet Formation

Sources:

timesofindia