Scientists Find Turbulent Weather in a Young Star's Dusty Disk

By Space.Fan Editorial DeskSeptember 21, 2026 at 8:01 AM UTC

New measurements show that gas around the famous HL Tau star is swirling in messy, turbulent patterns that may shape how new planets grow.

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The Drop

Astronomers have taken a closer look at HL Tau, a very young surrounded by a spinning disk of dust and gas. Scientists have known for a while that this disk has rings and gaps, which are likely places where s are beginning to form. However, they wanted to know how much the gas in the outer parts of the disk is moving around in chaotic, turbulent ways. To figure this out, researchers looked at archival data from the ALMA telescope. This powerful instrument collects light from cold gas in space. By looking at a specific chemical called formaldehyde, the team could measure how the gas was moving. They had to be careful to remove the motion caused by the ’s gravity, which is very orderly. What was left behind was the random, turbulent motion of the gas itself. The study found that the gas in the outer part of the disk is moving in a turbulent way. While the inner part of the disk where dust is settled seems calm, the outer regions are quite active. This discovery shows that the environment where s are born is much more complicated than a simple, smooth spinning disk. The team believes this turbulence might be caused by the gravity of the disk itself or by gas falling into the system from the surrounding space. These messy, swirling motions could play a major role in how materials move around and gather together to build new worlds.

Why It Matters

Understanding this turbulence is a big deal because it changes how we think about the birth of s. If the gas is very turbulent, it can change the speed at which dust grains stick together to grow into bigger rocks. This could speed up or slow down the -making process. This study proves that turbulence is not the same everywhere in a disk. By showing that the outer parts are much wilder than the inner parts, scientists now have a better roadmap for how to model the growth of ary systems over millions of years.

The Catch

While the results are strong, they rely on specific mathematical models to guess what the gas is doing. It is possible that some of the motion the team measured is caused by something other than turbulence, such as the way gas flows from the outer environment toward the center. Scientists will need to study more systems to see if this pattern is common or just unique to HL Tau.

Put That in Perspective

HL Tau is one of the most studied young stars because its disk is so clearly visible. Earlier images showed us the beautiful rings and gaps, but this new work adds a 'weather report' for the disk. Researchers hope to use these methods on even younger stars to see how this turbulence changes as a star system matures.

Source September 21, 2026

ApJ