Brown Dwarf Photos: Failed Stars and Stellar Misfits Revealed

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Brown Dwarf Surrounded by Planet-Forming Material

NASA/JPL-Caltech

This artist's illustration shows a brown dwarf with a disk of planet-forming material around it. Brown dwarfs are bodies without enough mass to ignite nuclear fusion and become stars.

Brown Dwarf Nicknamed VVV BD001

ESO, and D. Minniti and J. C. Beamín (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)

This new image, from ESO’s VISTA telescope, shows a newly-discovered brown dwarf nicknamed VVV BD001. It is the first new brown dwarf spotted in our cosmic neighbourhood as part of the VVV Survey. VVV BD001 is located about 55 light-years away from us, towards the very crowded center of our galaxy. Image released Sept. 23, 2013.

Brown Dwarf ISO-Oph 102

ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin

This image shows the brown dwarf ISO-Oph 102, or Rho-Oph 102, in the Rho Ophiuchi star-forming region. Its position is marked by the crosshairs. This visible-light view was created from images forming part of the Digitized Sky Survey 2. Image released Nov. 30, 2012.

Space.com Staff
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