Related papers: Multiple spiral patterns in the transitional disk …
We present GPI polarized intensity imagery of HD 100453 in Y-, J-, and K1 bands which reveals an inner gap ($9 - 18$ au), an outer disk ($18-39$ au) with two prominent spiral arms, and two azimuthally-localized dark features also present in…
Gravitational forces are expected to excite spiral density waves in protoplanetary disks, disks of gas and dust orbiting young stars. However, previous observations that showed spiral structure were not able to probe disk midplanes, where…
We present polarimetric differential imaging (PDI) data of the circumstellar disk around the Herbig Ae/Be star HD100546 obtained with VLT/NACO. We resolve the disk in polarized light in the H and Ks filter between ~0.1-1.4" (i.e., ~10-140…
We report here the first resolved images of the circumstellar dust disk around the Pre-Main-Sequence star HD 100546. These near-infrared images were obtained in J and short K bands with the adaptive optics system ADONIS at the ESO…
Planets form in young circumstellar disks called protoplanetary disks. However, it is still difficult to catch planet formation in-situ. Nevertheless, from recent ALMA/SPHERE data, encouraging evidence of the direct and indirect presence of…
We exploit the superb resolution of the new HST/ACS mosaic image of M51 to select a large sample of young (< 1 Gyr) star clusters in the spiral disk, based on their sizes. The image covers the entire spiral disk in B, V, I and H_alpha, at a…
Transition disks have large central cavities that have been spatially resolved during recent years. Cavities and other substructures in circumstellar disks are often interpreted as signposts to massive companions. We aim to search for…
Transition disks offer the extraordinary opportunity to look for newly born planets and investigate the early stages of planet formation. In this context we observed the Herbig A5 star MWC 758 with the L band vector vortex coronagraph…
The search for young planets had its first breakthrough with the detection of the accreting planet PDS70b. In this study, we aim to broaden our understanding towards the formation of multi-planet systems such as HR8799 or the Solar System.…
Recent ALMA images of HL Tau show gaps in the dusty disk that may be caused by planetary bodies. Given the young age of this system, if confirmed, this finding would imply very short timescales for planet formation, probably in a…
Protostellar (class 0/I) disks, having masses comparable to those of their nascent host stars, and fed continuously from their natal infalling envelopes, are prone to gravitational instability (GI). Motivated by advances in near-infrared…
HD 100453AB is a 10+/-2 Myr old binary whose protoplanetary disk was recently revealed to host a global two-armed spiral structure. Given the relatively small projected separation of the binary (1.05", or ~108 au), gravitational…
One of the striking discoveries of protoplanetary disc research in recent years are the spiral arms seen in several transitional discs in polarised scattered light. An interesting interpretation of the observed spiral features is that they…
We study the azimuthal structure of the stellar disks of 18 face-on spiral galaxies, using K-band photometry to trace the stellar surface mass density. Assuming the disks are co-planar, we characterize their deviation from axisymmetry by…
Volatile elements play a crucial role in the formation of planetary systems. Their abundance and distribution in protoplanetary disks provide vital insights into the connection between formation processes and the atmospheric composition of…
Transition disks are protoplanetary disks with inner cavities possibly cleared by massive companions, which makes them prime targets to observe at high resolution to map their velocity structure. We present ALMA Band 6 dust and gas…
We have examined star formation in two very luminous (M_V=-22 to -23) Sc-type spiral galaxies, NGC 801 and UGC 2885, using ultra-deep Halpha images. We combine these with UBV and 2MASS JHK images and HI maps to explore the star formation…
We still do not understand how planets form, or why extra-solar planetary systems are so different from our own solar system. But the last few years have dramatically changed our view of the discs of gas and dust around young stars.…
Recent VLT/SPHERE near-infrared imaging observations revealed two spiral arms with a near m=2 rotational symmetry in the protoplanetary disk around the ~1.7 solar mass Herbig star HD 100453. A ~0.3 solar mass M dwarf companion, HD 100453 B,…
The formation and the evolution of protoplanetary disks are important stages in the lifetime of stars. The processes of disk evolution and planet formation are intrinsically linked. We spatially resolve with GRAVITY/VLTI in the K-band the…