Brown Dwarfs
Why it Matters?
Scientists have discovered a rare quadruple star system (UPM J1040-3551 AabBab) comprising two red dwarfs and two brown dwarfs, a first of its kind.
What You Should Know?
Brown dwarfs are “failed stars” as they lack hydrogen fusion.
They can have a mass up to 70 times that of Jupiter.
Their atmospheres are similar to gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn.
Brown dwarfs emit little visible light, making them hard to detect.
The discovery is rare as fewer than 5% of low-mass brown dwarfs have companions.
Red dwarf
Red dwarfs are the smallest stars, with masses between 7.5% and 50% of the Sun.
They have very low luminosity, emitting just 0.01% to 10% of the Sun’s brightness, and low surface temperatures give them a red or orange glow.
Their slow hydrogen burning allows them to shine for trillions of years, far longer than the Sun’s 10-billion-year lifespan.
They are the most common type of star in the Milky Way galaxy. The closest star to the Sun, Proxima Centauri, is a red dwarf.