The moth: An unusual circumstellar structure associated with HD 61005

Dean C. Hines, Glenn Schneider, David Hollenbach, Eric E. Mamajek, Lynne A. Hillenbrand, Stanimir A. Metchev, Michael R. Meyer, John M. Carpenter, Amaya Moro-Martín, Murray D. Silverstone, K. I.M. Jinyoung Serena, Thomas Henning, Jeroen Bouwman, Sebastian Wolf

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

73 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the discovery of an unusual spatially resolved circumstellar structure associated with the »90 Myr, nearby, G dwarf star HD 61005. Observations from the FEPS Spitzer Legacy Science survey reveal thermal emission in excess of expected stellar photospheric levels. Follow-up 0.1" resolution HST NICMOS coronagraphic images reveal scattered starlight <7" (~240 AU) from the occulted star (1.1 μm flux density =18 ± 3.3 mJy; and 0.77% ± 0.16% of the starlight). The extremely high near-IR scattering fraction and IR excess luminosity f = LIR/L., « 2 × 10-3 suggests scattering particle sizes of order a≤ 1.1 μm/2π ~ 0.2 μm, comparable to the blowout size (a « 0.3 μm) due to radiation pressure from the star. Dust-scattered starlight is traced inward to an instrumental limit of ~10 AU. The structure exhibits a strong asymmetry about its morphological major axis but is mirror-symmetric about its minor axis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)L165-L168
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume671
Issue number2 PART 2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2007

Keywords

  • Circumstellar matter -infrared
  • Individual (HD 61005)
  • Protoplanetary disks - Stars
  • Stars -planetary systems

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The moth: An unusual circumstellar structure associated with HD 61005'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this