NGC 1333 IRAS 4: A Very Young, Low-Luminosity Binary System
Abstract
IRAS 4 is a cold, low luminosity source in the active star formation region NGC 1333. The present sub-mm photometry and high spatial resolution 800- and 450-micron maps resolve this source into a binary system whose components are separated by about 31 arcsec and connected by a bridge of faint dust emission. The dust masses associated with the binary component are by far the largest seen toward any star of comparable luminosity, and are a factor of 10 higher than predicted by protostar models. It is suggested that these observations indicate a very young stellar system, possibly an actual protostar, in which most luminosity is generated by accretion.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- July 1991
- DOI:
- 10.1086/186092
- Bibcode:
- 1991ApJ...376L..17S
- Keywords:
-
- Infrared Sources (Astronomy);
- Interstellar Matter;
- Pre-Main Sequence Stars;
- Star Formation;
- Stellar Mass Accretion;
- Astronomical Photometry;
- Cosmic Dust;
- Infrared Astronomy Satellite;
- Stellar Luminosity;
- Submillimeter Waves;
- Astrophysics;
- INFRARED: SOURCES;
- INTERSTELLAR: GRAINS;
- STARS: ACCRETION;
- STARS: FORMATION;
- STARS: PRE--MAIN-SEQUENCE