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AU Microscopii

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description AU Microscopii Overview

AU Microscopii is a young M-type red dwarf star in the constellation Microscopium, about 32 light-years from Earth. It is surrounded by a broad debris disk that is viewed nearly edge-on and has been directly imaged with space- and ground-based telescopes, allowing astronomers to study dust structures around a young star. The system also contains planets, making AU Microscopii a useful case for research on stellar activity, debris disks, and early planetary-system evolution.

help AU Microscopii FAQ

What kind of star is AU Microscopii?

AU Microscopii is a young M-type red dwarf in the constellation Microscopium, about 32 light-years from Earth. NASA describes it as roughly 12 million years old, making it unusually young for a nearby star. [NASA](https://science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble/disk-of-debris-around-red-dwarf-star-au-microscopii/)

Why is AU Microscopii's debris disk famous?

Its broad disk is viewed nearly edge-on, producing a thin spindle-like appearance in telescope images. NASA estimates that the disk extends more than 40 billion miles across.

Does AU Microscopii have planets?

Yes. The system includes the close-in exoplanets AU Mic b and AU Mic c, and AU Mic b was identified using NASA's TESS and the Spitzer Space Telescope. The planets orbit inside the star's debris disk.

Why do astronomers study AU Microscopii with Webb?

AU Mic combines a young active red dwarf, a directly imaged debris disk, and known exoplanets in one nearby system. Webb observations can therefore examine dust, stellar activity, and planetary atmospheres together. [NASA Webb](https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/new-webb-image-reveals-dusty-disk-like-never-seen-before)

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