JWST coronagraphy reveals background sources and disk extinction around HD 163296

Star system: HD 163296 | Distance from the Sun: 331 light years

The star HD 163296 is surrounded by a large disk of dust and gas, making it an important target for studying how disks affect the light from background stars. Using the James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam coronagraph, astronomers observed HD 163296 and identified several background sources seen through or near the disk. These background stars provide valuable benchmarks for measuring how much the disk dims and reddens starlight—a process known as extinction.

The study presents precise measurements of the brightness and positions of these background sources, which will help future research on the disk’s extinction properties. By comparing the observed contrasts and astrometry, scientists can better understand the disk’s structure and how it interacts with light from behind. This work lays the groundwork for more detailed studies of circumstellar disks and their effects on background starlight.

Key findings
- JWST/NIRCam coronagraphy identified multiple background sources around HD 163296
- The measured brightness and positions of these sources provide benchmarks for disk extinction studies
- The data help reveal how the disk dims and reddens background starlight
- These results will support future research on the structure and properties of circumstellar disks
- The study demonstrates the value of background stars for probing disk extinction

Scientific study

Photometric and Astrometric Information for Sources around HD~163296 Revealed by JWST/NIRCam Coronagraphy (external link)