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3d ago

Hubble Spots Second Debris Cloud at Fomalhaut, Confirming Repeated Planetesimal Collisions

Researchers now conclude the bright sources are expanding debris from roughly 60‑kilometer planetesimal impacts.

This artist’s concept shows the violent collision of two massive objects in orbit around the star Fomalhaut. (Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, Ralf Crawford (STScI))
nasa image of eye of sauron
artist's impression of colliding asteroids

Overview

  • The peer-reviewed study, published December 18 in Science, identifies the earlier Fomalhaut b (now cs1) and a 2023 source (cs2) as collision debris rather than planets.
  • Hubble imaging shows two transient, planet-like points in the star’s outer ring that faded or evolved over time, consistent with expanding dust clouds.
  • Modeling suggests the parent bodies were about 60 kilometers across and implies a populous belt of roughly 300 million similar planetesimals.
  • Seeing two such events in about 20 years far exceeds prior expectations of roughly one comparable collision every 100,000 years.
  • Approved JWST follow-up and continued monitoring aim to track cs2’s evolution and probe dust properties, with teams also investigating whether an unseen planet could be stirring collisions.