Caption:
Visible light image of the circumstellar disk around
the nearby young
star AU Mic discovered with the University of Hawaii 2.2-meter
(88-inch) telescope. The disk is seen edge-on, revealed by
starlight scattering
off of small dust grains. The outer extent is about 210 astronomical
units (20 billion miles). The bright light from the star is
blocked by an opaque mask and
its supporting crosshairs, allowing detection of the very faint
disk.
Analysis of the radiation from AU Mic shows that the inner
disk is
cleared of material, indirect evidence for newly formed planets
in the
inner regions.
