Uploaded February 2013 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
May 23, 2007
Dr. Dana Backman (SETI Institute and Astronomical Society of the Pacific)
Astronomers have discovered dusty "doughnuts" of cosmic raw material around many younger stars. In some cases, astronomers can see tantalizing hints in these rings that planets may be forming or may already have formed from this material. Dr. Backman explains how new kinds of telescopes and observations are making it possible for us to detect the birth process of planets around nearby stars. He also previews observations of these intriguing dusty rings with future telescopes.
May 23, 2007
Dr. Dana Backman (SETI Institute and Astronomical Society of the Pacific)
Astronomers have discovered dusty "doughnuts" of cosmic raw material around many younger stars. In some cases, astronomers can see tantalizing hints in these rings that planets may be forming or may already have formed from this material. Dr. Backman explains how new kinds of telescopes and observations are making it possible for us to detect the birth process of planets around nearby stars. He also previews observations of these intriguing dusty rings with future telescopes.
