A rotating disk of gas and dust that forms around a massive object as material spirals inward due to gravity. These disks are found around young stars, black holes, and other compact objects, often glowing brightly from friction and heating.
From Latin 'accretio' meaning 'growth' or 'increase,' combined with 'disk' to describe the flat, rotating structure. The term emerged in the 1960s as astronomers developed theories to explain the bright emissions from quasars and other energetic objects.
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