Beta Pictoris, the second brightest star in the southern constellation Pictor, has long been a subject of fascination for astronomers. Known for its remarkable dust disk where planets are forming, recent observations by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have uncovered unexpected features, including a structure dubbed the “Cat’s Tail.”
Despite previous studies with telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope, the enhanced sensitivity and instrumentation of the JWST revealed new details about Beta Pictoris. The star, approximately 20 million years old and located just 63 light years away, has been observed to host at least two planets, Beta Pictoris b and Beta Pictoris c, within its dust disk.
Led by Isabel Rebollido from the Astrobiology Center in Spain, the research team used the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRI) and the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) of the JWST to delve deeper into the structure of Beta Pictoris’ disks. To their surprise, they identified a novel feature, the “Cat’s Tail,” extending at an angle to the secondary disk.
The MIRI data further revealed that the two disks had different temperatures, indicating distinct compositions. The secondary disk and Cat’s Tail exhibited higher temperatures than the main disk, suggesting the presence of dark, porous material, akin to substances found on comets and asteroids.
While the nature of the dust composition can be addressed, the origin and characteristics of the Cat’s Tail pose intriguing questions. The team explored various hypotheses, leaning towards the possibility that the tail resulted from a collision event within the disk around a century ago. This collision could have propelled dust into a trajectory mirroring that of the impactor, eventually spreading out and forming the distinctive curve.
The recent revelations about Beta Pictoris underscore the potential for well-known celestial objects to harbor surprises when examined with advanced instruments. Further research and analysis promise to unravel the mysteries behind these newfound features, leaving astronomers curious about the untold surprises hidden within familiar cosmic entities.
Reference: https://www.sciencealert.com/jwst-reveals-young-star-beta-pictoris-has-a-surprising-second-disk
