Por João Lin Yun (Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, FCUL).

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: IRAS PSC 06468-0325 that exhibits extended emission with very unusual and enigmatic morphology: that of a diamond ring, that is, a ring or torus with a bright source overlapping its edge. With our scientific curiosity strongly stimulated, we launched an investigation of this object with several observational campaigns to collect clues to try to understand the nature of this object. I will describe the many questions raised by this source and the steps followed along the 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.

Short bio: João Lin Yun is a professor at the Physics Department of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon and a member of the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA). He concluded his PhD in Astronomy & Physics at Boston University. He specialized in multiwavelength studies of Star Formation and the Interstellar Medium. Current research interests focus on the study of embedded young stellar clusters and molecular gas in the outer Milky Way Galaxy.