Stardust? What Stardust...?

There are so many unexplained things here on earth, sometimes we forget that space can hold mysteries that put ours to shame!

With modern tools like the Hubble telescope, we can see and marvel at a few of the majestic sights that await our explanation.

The Vanishing Stardust

TYC 8241 2652 is located 450 light years away in the constellation Centaurs. It is believed to be around the same size as our sun – but a mere child, at 10 million years old, compared to our 4.5 billion-year-old star. From 1983 to 2008, astronomers searched a bright ring of dust around the star for possible planet formation, believing they were getting some insight into how our own solar system formed. But when the star was due for a check up in early 2009, astronomers were astonished: when they looked through their telescopes, they saw nothing but the star itself. The once-visible, glowing disk of dust was gone. It did not leave behind any planets, or any signs as to where it had gone; it had quite simply vanished. Scientists were baffled. When asked about it, astronomer Carl Melis simply stated, “We don’t have a really satisfactory explanation to address what happened around this star.

Sure does make for a pretty picture, doesn't it? What's more, it makes for a real puzzle for scientist!

Coffee in the kitchen this morning. Kinda cool and damp outside, ya know?