.jpg) VLT/SPHERE scattered light image of the disk around IM Lupi. The gray circle shows the position of the star. Credit:ESO/H. Avenhaus et al./DARTT-S collaboration | |
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Lupus |
| Right ascension | 15h 56m 09.2067s[1] |
| Declination | −37° 56′ 06.1261″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.93 |
| Characteristics | |
| Evolutionary stage | Young Stellar Object |
| Spectral type | M0[2] |
| Variable type | Orion variable ofT Tauri type (INT)[3] |
| Astrometry | |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: -12.059[1]mas/yr Dec.: -23.727[1]mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 6.4175±0.022 mas[1] |
| Distance | 508 ± 2 ly (155.8 ± 0.5 pc) |
| Details[4] | |
| Mass | 1 M☉ |
| Luminosity | 0.9 L☉ |
| Age | 0.5 - 1 Myr |
| Other designations | |
| HIP 78053,WDS J15562-3756A,GSC 07838-00962,IRAS 15528-3747,2MASS J15560921-3756057 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
IM Lupi is a young stellar object with a surroundingprotoplanetary disk. The young star is suspected to host a still formingprotoplanet at a distance of 110astronomical units (AU) and a mass of 2-3MJ.[5][6] IM Lupi is 508light-years (156parsec) distant.[6]
The star IM Lupi was classified as aclass II YSO with aspectral type M0.[2] The star is probably not actively accreting, but there is evidence that the accretion is variable around IM Lupi. The young star is associated with the Lupus 2 Molecular Cloud.[4]
Many features at different wavelengths have been observed in this disk, which is very massive (0.17M☉).[5][4] The disk has a gas and a dust component. The gas component reaches out to 751 AU and the smaller dust component reaches out to 334 AU. In a scattered light image fromSPHERE the upper surface and part of the lower surface was imaged.[7] Dust observations withALMA shows two rings and with SPHERE 2 additional rings were detected.[4][7] ALMA observations at 1.25 mm shows a spiral pattern,[8] which is also imprinted on the surface of the dusty part as seen by SPHERE.[5] ALMA also observed the molecule12CO, which traces the gas component of the disk. The CO observations show several deviations fromKeplerian motion in the form of 16 kinks. The kinks and spirals could be caused by an undetectedplanet with a mass of 2-3MJ orbiting at about 110 AU. It is also possible thatgravitational instability causes the patterns in this disk.[6]