HST images Flame Nebula and finds bad environment for planet formation

[notFritzArgelander]

There's an imaging link:

https://phys.org/news/2021-11-image-hub ... ebula.html

and a science result.

https://phys.org/news/2021-11-hubble-fl ... stars.html

[helicon]

Thanks. Second link doesn't really discuss why the environment is bad.

[notFritzArgelander]

Thanks. Second link doesn't really discuss why the environment is bad.

Yes, it does, albeit briefly:

Hubble found four confirmed proplyds and four possible proplyds in the nebula, but the proplyds are being worn away by the intense radiation of nearby stars and may never have the chance to form planets as a result.

The intense radiation wears away the proplyds on a time scale that is faster than the formation of planets from the proplyds. If the protoplanetary disk (i.e. proplyd) is dissolved, no planets result.

[helicon]

Thanks. Second link doesn't really discuss why the environment is bad.

Yes, it does, albeit briefly:

Hubble found four confirmed proplyds and four possible proplyds in the nebula, but the proplyds are being worn away by the intense radiation of nearby stars and may never have the chance to form planets as a result.

The intense radiation wears away the proplyds on a time scale that is faster than the formation of planets from the proplyds. If the protoplanetary disk (i.e. proplyd) is dissolved, no planets result.

Ah-ha. That explains it - thanks notFritz.