Dwarf protoplanetary disk detected around distant young star

(Phys.org)—A dwarf transitional protoplanetary disk was found around the young star XZ Tau B, located some 460 light years away. According to a research paper published online on June 9 on arXiv.org, this disk of dust is much smaller than ordinary disks observed around other stars. The newly discovered feature could be a testbed for future studies regarding the evolution of transitional disks as it showcases attributes characteristic for these objects but on a much smaller scale.