João L. Yun
Observatório Astronómico de Lisboa

Abstract
Research in Astronomy is sometimes compared with the activity of a detective, trying to solve a crime scene. This is the case we were faced with when we discovered an enigmatic astronomical source.
The discovery took place during our effort to put together a catalog of IRAS-based protostars. We found that IRAS PSC 06468-0325 exhibits extended emission with very unusual and enigmatic morphology: that of a diamond-ring, that is, a ring or torus with a bright source overlaping the edge of it (not inside it).
With our scientific curiosity strongly stimulated, we have launched an investigation of this object with several observational campaigns to collect as many clues as possible in order to try to understand the nature of this object.
We describe the many questions raised by this source and the steps followed along the course of this investigation to reach our current understanding of the nature of this source. IRAS 06468-0325 may be an important rare case that illustrates a short-lived stage of the process of binary or multiple star formation.

2011 February 11, 11:00

IA/U.Porto
Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto (Auditorium)
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