Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Space
Space
Science
Robert Lea

Dwarf star is surrounded by massive 'double ring' that hints at a Saturn-size exoplanet

Artist's conception of a protoplanetary disk around a newborn star.

Observations of a distant red dwarf star indicate that it is surrounded by not one but two massive rings of gas and dust, with tantalizing hints that it is orbited by a Saturn-size planet.

The red dwarf, known as 2MASS J04124068+2438157, is located around 485 light-years from Earth and has a diameter similar to that of the sun, but with a mass less than half that of our star. The red dwarf is also a virtual infant in comparison to the nearly 4.6 billion-year-old sun; it's estimated to be just 4.7 million years old. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.