HUBBLE ATLAS
Illustration of the Dynamics of a Proplyd — image from the Hubble Space Telescope

Illustrations

Illustration of the Dynamics of a Proplyd

April 26, 2001 · NASA

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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.