An accidental discovery hints at a hidden population of cosmic objects
Brown dwarfs aren't quite stars and aren't quite planets, and a new study suggests there might be more of them lurking in our galaxy than scientists previously thought.
Brown dwarfs aren't quite stars and aren't quite planets, and a new study suggests there might be more of them lurking in our galaxy than scientists previously thought.
Astronomy
Aug 31, 2021
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Brown dwarfs are astronomical objects with masses between those of planets and stars. The question of where exactly the limits of their mass lie remains a matter of debate, especially since their constitution is very similar ...
Astronomy
Aug 27, 2021
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An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of a companion to the M dwarf star known as TOI–1278. The newly found object turns out to be a brown dwarf nearly 20 times as massive as Jupiter. The finding is ...
Brown dwarfs are the cosmic equivalent of tweeners. They're too massive to be planets and too small to sustain nuclear fusion in their cores, which powers stars. Many brown dwarfs are nomadic. They do not orbit stars but ...
Astronomy
Jun 10, 2021
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In the continuing search for dark matter in our universe, scientists believe they have found a unique and powerful detector: exoplanets.
General Physics
Apr 22, 2021
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Using data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, scientists have identified the three fastest-spinning brown dwarfs ever found. More massive than most planets but not quite heavy enough to ignite like stars, brown dwarfs are ...
Astronomy
Apr 7, 2021
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When it launches in the mid-2020s, NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will explore an expansive range of infrared astrophysics topics. One eagerly anticipated survey will use a gravitational effect called microlensing ...
Astronomy
Jan 25, 2021
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Scientists tapped into the worldwide network of volunteers using Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 to map dozens of new brown dwarfs, or balls gas not heavy enough to be stars.
Astronomy
Jan 14, 2021
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A University of Arizona-led research team has found bands and stripes on the brown dwarf closest to Earth, hinting at the processes churning the brown dwarf's atmosphere from within.
Astronomy
Jan 7, 2021
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An international research team led by the University of Bern has discovered an exotic binary system composed of two young planet-like objects, orbiting around each other from a very large distance. Although these objects ...
Astronomy
Dec 16, 2020
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