a layer of dust almost transparent in the near infrared sitting above the protoplanetary disk around RY Tau star
(Left) An image in the near infrared (1.65 μm) around RY Tau, observed using the HiCIAO coronagraph of Subaru Telescope. This type of observation is preferred for faint emissions associated with scattered light around planet-forming disks, as there is less light from the much brighter star. A coronagraphic mask in the telescope optics blocks the central star, with its position marked at the center. A white ellipse shows the position of the midplane of the disk. Scattered light observed in the near infrared is offset to the top of the image compared with the disk. (Right) Schematic view of the observed infrared light. The light from the star is scattered in the upper dust layer, and it makes the observed light offset from the midplane. (Takami et al. 2013, ApJ, 772, 145)