The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been utilized to map the weather patterns on a pair of brown dwarfs.
About Brown Dwarfs:
- Brown dwarfs are objects with a size that falls between that of a giant planet like Jupiter and a small star.
- They have a mass range from 15 to 75 times that of Jupiter.
- First identified in 1995, these objects have primarily been found as part of binary systems, where two stars orbit each other similar to the planetary orbits around the sun.
- Lacking enough mass to sustain normal hydrogen fusion, brown dwarfs do not undergo continuous nuclear fusion, earning them the nickname “failed stars.”
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a brown dwarf?
A brown dwarf is a celestial object whose size and mass fall between that of a large planet like Jupiter and a small star, but it cannot sustain normal hydrogen fusion like true stars.
Why are brown dwarfs called “failed stars”?
Brown dwarfs are often referred to as “failed stars” because they have insufficient mass to sustain the nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium, which is typical of true stars.
What is a binary system?
A binary system in astronomy refers to two celestial bodies, such as stars or planets, that are gravitationally bound to each other and orbit a common center of mass.
What is hydrogen fusion?
Hydrogen fusion is the process by which hydrogen nuclei combine under extreme pressure and temperature conditions to form helium, releasing energy that powers stars.