ALMA image of comet factory around Oph-IRS 48

This image from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) shows the dust trap in the disc that surrounds the system Oph-IRS 48. The high asymmetry of the dust emission between the southern and northern part of the disc (at least a factor of 130) is indicative of the presence of such a dust trap. The dust trap provides a safe haven for tiny particles in the disc, allowing them to clump together and grow to sizes that allow them to survive on their own. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Nienke van der Marel