Background galaxy in the field of Beta Pictoris

dF star Number of posts : 3337 Registration date : 2008-06-12

A background galaxy in the field of the beta Pic debris disk
Turns out one of the structures observed in the Beta Pictoris disc is a background galaxy at redshift 1.0-1.6 rather than a disc.

I hope it does not disprove the existence of the dust disk. Or does it? pale

dF star Number of posts : 3337 Registration date : 2008-06-12

Dust disc is there, it's just one of the claimed structures in it (a "blob" southwest of the star) turns out to be a background galaxy. There had already been problems with interpreting it as part of the disc: for starters, the blob would have had to have a mass comparable to the entire disc system.

» MOA-2010-BLG-117 - Half-Jupiter-mass planet in system lensing two background stars
» Possible image of an exoplanet next to Beta Pictoris
» Structure and composition of the Beta Pictoris disc
» Low-mass brown dwarf in β Pictoris moving group
» First Planet detected in Andromeda Galaxy M31?