Dust and Planets Around Nearby Stars
In the mid-1980s the InfraRed Astronomy Satellite IRAS discovered that about 15% of normal stars emitted more long-wavelength infrared light than expected. Astronomers at the UK ATC have played a leading part in the subsequent studies showing that this emission is caused by disks of cool dust. Detailed computer modelling indicates that the dust is formed from larger asteroid-like bodies in a collisional fragmentation process. Further, we have shown that some of the structure seen in the disks we have imaged predicts the presence of one or more planets in orbit round the star. For more information about our research into dust and planets round near by stars please contact Wayne Holland. Further details on this topic are available from the following link: