This image may not be used by or to promote the arms, nuclear power or tobacco industries or any religious organisation, or in any discriminatory way,

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This image may not be used by or to promote the arms, nuclear power or tobacco industries or any religious organisation, or in any discriminatory way, or to imply the endorsement by ESO of any product, service or activity Spiral structure around R Sculptoris, Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) image. R Sculptoris is a red giant star that is 1500 light years from Earth, in the constellation of Sculptor. It is thought that the spiral pattern in the material orbiting the star is caused by the influence of an unseen companion star. The ALMA observations, obtained at millimetre and submillimetre radio wavelengths, show a cross-section, with the outer bright ring representing a spherical shell of dust and debris around the star. Inside this is a spiral structure of more dust and debris. Image published in 2012.

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Photo credit: © ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/M. Maercker et al/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, 7, 2012, alma, array, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, atacama, band, circle, circular, circumstellar, debris, disc, disk, dust, giant, large, millimeter, millimetre, orbital, orbiting, planetary, protoplanetary, radio, red, ring, science, sculptor, sculptoris, shell, space, sphere, spherical, spiral, star, stellar, universe