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metal prints space metal prints planet metal prints illustration metal prints 3d metal prints 3 dimensional metal prints three dimensional metal prints nobody metal prints astronomy metal prints astronomical metal prints outer space metal prints protoplanetary disc metal prints gas metal prints proplyd metal prints star formation metal prints collision metal prints

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Artwork of the central regions of a protoplanetary disc. Planets are formed inside giant discs of gas and dust called protoplanetary discs, or proplyds for short. They are a natural consequence of the star formation process, with the star forming at the centre and the planets gradually accreting from leftover materials in the disc. In this image we take a look inside a proplyd close to the newly forming star. The rocky materials in the disc are gathering into progressively larger bodies, and will one day merge into fully fledged worlds. Two large bodies are showing colliding. A collision such as this is thought to have occurred in Mercury's past, removing much of the planet's crust and leaving it with an oversized core for its size.

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