*Description*:> Artist's Concept This animation shows the evolution of a planet-forming disc around a star. Initially, the young disc is bright and thick with dust, providing raw materials for building planets. In the first 10 million years or so, gaps appear within the disc as newborn planets coalesce out of the dust, clearing out a path. In time, this planetary "debris disc" thins out as gravitational interactions with numerous planets slowly sweep away the dust. Steady pressure from the starlight and solar winds also blows out the dust. After a few billion years, only a thin ring remains in the outermost reaches of the system, a faint echo of the once-brilliant disc. Our own solar system has a similar debris disc ? a ring of comets called the Kuiper Belt. Leftover dust in the inner portion of the solar system is known as "zodiacal dust." Bright, young discs can be imaged directly by visible-light telescopes, such as NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Older, fainter debris discs can be detected only by infrared telescopes like NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which sense the discs' dim heat. Technical facts about this news release: About the Object AU Microscopii Object Name: AU Microscopii (AU Mic, GJ 803, HD197481) Object Description: Spectral Type "M0" Star with Debris Disk Position (J2000): R.A. 20h 45m 09s.53 Dec. -31° 20' 27".2 Constellation: Microscopium Distance: Approximately 33 light-years (10 parsecs) About the Data Data Description: This image was created from HST data from the following proposal: 9987- H.C. Ford (JHU), J. Krist (STScI), and M. Clampin (GSFC). Members of the science team include: J.E. Krist (STScI/JPL); D.R. Ardila (JHU); D.A. Golimowski (JHU); M. Clampin (NASA/Goddard); H.C. Ford (JHU); G.D. Illingworth (UCO-Lick); G.F. Hartig (STScI) and the ACS Science Team. Mission/Instrument: Hubble: ACS/HRC Exposure Date(s): April 3, 2004 Exposure Time: 1.4 hours Filters: F606W("V") About the Image Image Credit: NASA, ESA, J.E. Krist (STScI/JPL); D.R. Ardila (JHU); D.A. Golimowski (JHU); M. Clampin (NASA/Goddard); H.C. Ford (JHU); G.D. Illingworth (UCO-Lick); G.F. Hartig (STScI) and the ACS Science Team Release Date: December 9, 2004 Orientation: Disk of Debris Around Red Dwarf Star AU Microscopii [ http://imgsrc.hubblesite.org/hu/db/2004/33/images/b/formats/compass_large_web.jpg ] About the Object HD 107146 Object Name: HD 107146 Object Description: Spectral Type "G2V" Star with Debris Disk Position (J2000): R.A. 12h 19m 06s.50 Dec. +16° 32' 53".9 Constellation: Coma Berenices Distance: Approximately 88 light-years (27 parsecs) About the Data Data Description: This image was created from HST data from the following proposals, 9987 and 10330: H.C. Ford (JHU), J. Krist (STScI), and M. Clampin (GSFC). Members of the science team include: D.R. Ardila (JHU); D.A. Golimowski (JHU); J.E. Krist (STScI/JPL); M. Clampin (NASA/Goddard); J.P. Williams (UH/IfA); J.P. Blakeslee (JHU); H.C. Ford (JHU); G.F. Hartig (STScI); G.D. Illingworth (UCO-Lick) and the ACS Science Team. Mission/Instrument: Hubble: ACS/HRC Exposure Date(s): June 5/July 20, 2004 Exposure Time: 1.3 hours Filters: F606W("V") and F814W("I") About the Image Image Credit: NASA, ESA, D.R. Ardila (JHU); D.A. Golimowski (JHU); J.E. Krist (STScI/JPL); M. Clampin (NASA/Goddard); J.P. Williams (UH/IfA); J.P. Blakeslee (JHU); H.C. Ford (JHU); G.F. Hartig (STScI); G.D. Illingworth (UCO-Lick) and the ACS Science Team Release Date: December 9, 2004 Orientation: Planetary Debris Disk Encircling Yellow Dwarf Star HD 107146 [ http://imgsrc.hubblesite.org/hu/db/2004/33/images/c/formats/compass_large_web.jpg ] About the Spitzer Data Object Name(s): HD 117176, HD 33636, HD 52265, HD 82943, HD 50554, HD 128311 Object Description: Stars with Debris Disks Mission/Instrument: Spitzer/MIPS Wavelength: 24 and 70 um Image Credit : NASA/JPL-Caltech/C. Beichman (Caltech) Release Date: December 9, 2004 *News Release Number:*: STScI-2004-33b
