Accretion Disk

An accretion disk is a swirling, flattened structure of gas and dust that forms around a massive central object, like a star or a black hole. As material in the disk slowly spirals inward due to friction and other forces, it heats up and emits powerful radiation, making these disks some of the brightest objects in the universe. They are crucial for understanding how stars and planets form, and how black holes grow.