Webb Finds Possible Aurorae on Cold Brown Dwarf

A brown dwarf is a type of interstellar object that is in-between a gas giant planet and a star in terms of mass and composition. These objects form through the same process as stars, but never gain enough mass to start the nuclear fusion of hydrogen in their cores. A brown dwarf can be anywhere between 13 and 80 times the mass of Jupiter, anything larger is able to burn hydrogen and is considered a star. Astronomers believe that there may be anywhere between 25 and 100 billion brown dwarfs located in our Milky Way galaxy. Since brown dwarfs are an intermediary between planets and stars, studying them can help us better understand both stellar and planetary formation. Spotting these objects can be tricky as they do not emit much, if any, light in the visible range. They emit the most light in the infrared range. Unfortunately for Earth based observations, most infrared emission are absorbed by our atmosphere. This makes the James Webb Space Telescope optimal for studying brown dwarfs, as its location and ability to detect infrared light give it an advantage over ground telescopes. <a href="https://beccajean.medium.com/webb-finds-possible-aurorae-on-cold-brown-dwarf-d11e55ffa8f6">Read More</a>