Hubble image archive
Dracula’s Chivito (IRAS 23077+6707)
This Hubble Space Telescope image shows the largest planet-forming disk ever observed around a young star. It spans nearly 400 billion miles — 40 times the diameter of our solar system. Tilted nearly edge-on as seen from Earth, the dark, dusty disk resembles a hamburger. Hubble r...
- Date
- Dec 23, 2025
- Mission
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Archive ID
- draculas-chivito-iras-230776707
This Hubble Space Telescope image shows the largest planet-forming disk ever observed around a young star. It spans nearly 400 billion miles — 40 times the diameter of our solar system. Tilted nearly edge-on as seen from Earth, the dark, dusty disk resembles a hamburger. Hubble reveals it to be unusually chaotic, with bright wisps of material extending far above and below the disk—more than seen in any similar circumstellar disk. Cataloged as IRAS 23077+6707, the system is located approximately 1,000 light-years from Earth. The discovery marks a new milestone for Hubble and offers fresh insight into planet formation in extreme environments across the galaxy.The Hubble observations include those from program 17751 (K. Monsch)
Image Description: Near the center is an object that resembles an edge-on view of a hamburger. There is a diagonal dark strip (the meat patty) of dust, running from 1 o'clock to 7 o'clock, that obscures a central star. Curving away from either side of the dark strip are glowing white clouds (the buns) where dust is reflecting starlight. Bright blue finger-like wisps of material extend far above and below the dark center plane. A few dozen stars, some with four diffraction spikes, are scattered on the black background of space.
Image Description: Near the center is an object that resembles an edge-on view of a hamburger. There is a diagonal dark strip (the meat patty) of dust, running from 1 o'clock to 7 o'clock, that obscures a central star. Curving away from either side of the dark strip are glowing white clouds (the buns) where dust is reflecting starlight. Bright blue finger-like wisps of material extend far above and below the dark center plane. A few dozen stars, some with four diffraction spikes, are scattered on the black background of space.
Image Details
| Object Name | IRAS 23077+6707; Dracula's Chivito |
| Object Description | Very large protoplanetary disk |
| Release Date | December 23, 2025 |
| Science Release | NASA’s Hubble Reveals Largest Found Chaotic Birthplace of Planets |
| Credit | Image: NASA, ESA, STScI, Kristina Monsch (CfA); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) |
| Last UpdatedLocationContact | Dec 23, 2025NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterMediaClaire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland [email protected] |
| Last Updated | Dec 23, 2025 |
| Location | NASA Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Contact | MediaClaire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland [email protected] |
| Related Terms | Hubble Space Telescope |
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