Skip to content
Skip to main content

About this free course

Download this course

Share this free course

In the night sky: Orion
In the night sky: Orion

Start this free course now. Just create an account and sign in. Enrol and complete the course for a free statement of participation or digital badge if available.

4.2 Protoplanetary discs

Described image
Figure _unit4.3.1 Figure 13 A small selection of the many protoplanetary discs in the Orion Nebula.

In your journey through the course, you have seen many images of the Orion constellation, and of the Orion Nebula, which occurs towards the tip of Orion’s sword.

Images of the Orion Nebula, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, show that it is a region where new stars are forming. Many hundreds of stars are being created; many of them seem to be surrounded by discs of dust which might become planetary systems.

Figure 13 is a small selection of the protoplanetary discs in the Orion Nebula. The images were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Next, you’ll find out how protoplanetary disc form.