Dust depletion in the inner disk of β Pictoris as a possible indicator of planets

摘要: IT is not yet possible to see planets orbiting other stars, although this may soon change as observing methods improve1. Indirect evidence for the presence of circumstellar dust disks out which could form has been obtained several in excess infrared emission, presumed be from hot dust2, 3. Planets such would expected sweep dust-free tracks4. regions reported5–9, based on an analysis spectral energy distribution, but interpretation observation unique7, 9. Here we present image inner disk star β Pictoris with a linear resolution 5 astronomical units (AU), equivalent distance Sun Jupiter. We find that asymmetrically distributed and clearly depleted within 40 AU star, interpret indicating at least one planetary body Pictoris.