\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA\u2019s Webb Identifies Tiniest Free-Floating Brown Dwarf\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/webb-stsci-01hfc8kwyqk5zh2kkgh2362bbf-2k.png?w=1146\")
<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\nWebb Telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera shows the central portion of the star cluster IC 348.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCredits: <\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nBrown dwarfs are objects that straddle the dividing line between stars and planets. They form like stars, growing dense enough to collapse under their own gravity, but they never become dense and hot enough to begin fusing hydrogen and turn into a star. At the low end of the scale, some brown dwarfs are comparable with giant planets, weighing just a few times the mass of Jupiter.<\/p>\n
What are the smallest stars? <\/h2>\n
Astronomers are trying to determine the smallest object that can form in a star-like manner. A team using NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope has identified the new record-holder: a tiny, free-floating brown dwarf with only three to four times the mass of Jupiter.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne basic question you\u2019ll find in every astronomy textbook is, what are the smallest stars? That\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to answer,\u201d explained lead author Kevin Luhman of Pennsylvania State University.<\/p>\n
Search Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\nTo locate this newfound brown dwarf, Luhman and his colleague, Catarina Alves de Oliveira, chose to study the star cluster IC 348, located about 1,000 light-years away in the Perseus star-forming region. This cluster is young, only about 5 million years old. As a result, any brown dwarfs would still be relatively bright in infrared light, glowing from the heat of their formation.<\/p>\n
The team first imaged the center of the cluster using Webb\u2019s NIRCam<\/a> (Near-Infrared Camera) to identify brown dwarf candidates from their brightness and colors. They followed up on the most promising targets using Webb\u2019s NIRSpec<\/a> (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) microshutter array<\/a>.<\/p>\nImage: Star Cluster IC438<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/webb-stsci-01hfc8kwyqk5zh2kkgh2362bbf-2k.png?w=1492\")
<\/figure>\nThis image from the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope shows the central portion of the star cluster IC 348. The wispy curtains filling the image are interstellar material reflecting the light from the cluster\u2019s stars \u2013 what is known as a reflection nebula. The material also includes carbon-containing molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. Winds from the most massive stars in the cluster may help sculpt the large loop seen on the right side of the field of view.<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWebb\u2019s infrared sensitivity was crucial, allowing the team to detect fainter objects than ground-based telescopes. In addition, Webb\u2019s sharp vision enabled them to determine which red objects were pinpoint brown dwarfs and which were blobby background galaxies.<\/p>\n
This winnowing process led to three intriguing targets weighing three to eight Jupiter masses, with surface temperatures ranging from 1,500 to 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit (830 to 1,500 degrees Celsius). The smallest of these weighs just three to four times Jupiter, according to computer models.<\/p>\n
Explaining how such a small brown dwarf could form is theoretically challenging. A heavy and dense cloud of gas has plenty of gravity to collapse and form a star.\u00a0However, because of its weaker gravity, it should be more difficult for a small cloud to collapse to form a brown dwarf, and that is especially true for brown dwarfs with the masses of giant planets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty easy for current models to make giant planets in a disk around a star,\u201d said Catarina Alves de Oliveira of ESA (European Space Agency), principal investigator on the observing program. \u201cBut in this cluster, it would be unlikely this object formed in a disk, instead forming like a star, and three Jupiter masses is 300 times smaller than our Sun. So we have to ask, how does the star formation process operate at such very, very small masses?\u201d<\/p>\n
A Mystery Molecule<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn addition to giving clues about the star-formation process, tiny brown dwarfs also can help astronomers better understand exoplanets. The least massive brown dwarfs overlap with the largest exoplanets; therefore, they would be expected to have some similar properties. However, a free-floating brown dwarf is easier to study than a giant exoplanet since the latter is hidden within the glare of its host star.<\/p>\n
Two of the brown dwarfs identified in this survey show the spectral signature of an unidentified hydrocarbon, or molecule containing both hydrogen and carbon atoms. The same infrared signature was detected by NASA\u2019s Cassini<\/a> mission in the atmospheres of Saturn and its moon Titan. It has also been seen in the interstellar medium, or gas between stars.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is the first time we\u2019ve detected this molecule in the atmosphere of an object outside our solar system,\u201d explained Alves de Oliveira. \u201cModels for brown dwarf atmospheres don\u2019t predict its existence. We\u2019re looking at objects with younger ages and lower masses than we ever have before, and we\u2019re seeing something new and unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n
Image: Three Brown Dwarfs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/webb-stsci-01hfca70kkjvyfthcjmwt1j24f-2k.png?w=2000\")
<\/figure>\nThis image from the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope shows the central portion of the star cluster IC 348. Astronomers combed the cluster in search of tiny, free-floating brown dwarfs: objects too small to be stars but larger than most planets. They found three brown dwarfs that are less than eight times the mass of Jupiter, which are circled in the main image and shown in the detailed pullouts at right. The smallest weighs just three to four times Jupiter, challenging theories for star formation.<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBrown Dwarf or Rogue Planet?<\/strong><\/h2>\nSince the objects are well within the mass range of giant planets, it raises the question of whether they are actually brown dwarfs, or if they\u2019re really rogue planets that were ejected from planetary systems. While the team can\u2019t rule out the latter, they argue that they are far more likely to be a brown dwarf than an ejected planet.<\/p>\n
An ejected giant planet is unlikely for two reasons. First, such planets are uncommon in general compared to planets with smaller masses. Second, most stars are low-mass stars, and giant planets are especially rare among those stars. As a result, it\u2019s unlikely that most of the stars in IC 348 (which are low-mass stars) are capable of producing such massive planets. In addition, since the cluster is only 5 million years old, there probably hasn\u2019t been enough time for giant planets to form and then be ejected from their systems.<\/p>\n
The discovery of more such objects will help clarify their status. Theories suggest that rogue planets are more likely to be found in the outskirts of a star cluster, so expanding the search area may identify them if they exist within IC 348.<\/p>\n
Future work may also include longer surveys that can detect fainter, smaller objects. The short survey conducted by the team was expected to detect objects as small as twice the mass of Jupiter. Longer surveys could easily reach one Jupiter mass.<\/p>\n
These observations were taken as part of Guaranteed Time Observation program 1229<\/a>. The results were published in the Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.<\/em><\/p>\nDownloads<\/h2>\n
Download full resolution images for this article<\/a><\/strong> from the Space Telescope Science Institute.<\/p>\nRead\/Download the research results<\/a> <\/strong>released in The Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nRight click the images in this article to open a larger version in a new tab\/window.<\/p>\n
Media Contacts<\/h2>\n
Laura\u00a0Betz<\/strong> \u2013 laura.e.betz@nasa.gov<\/a>, Rob Gutro<\/strong>\u2013 rob.gutro@nasa.gov<\/a>
NASA\u2019s \u00a0Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/p>\nHannah Braun <\/strong>\u2013 hbraun@stsci.edu<\/a> , Christine Pulliam<\/strong> \u2013 cpulliam@stsci.ed<\/a>u
Space Telescope Science Institute<\/a>, Baltimore, Md.<\/p>\nRelated Information<\/h2>\n
Lifecycle of Stars<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore Webb News<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/latestnews\/<\/p>\nMore Webb Images<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/multimedia\/images\/<\/p>\nWebb Mission Page<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/<\/p>\n<\/p>\nRelated For Kids<\/h2>\n
How do we weigh planets?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is a nebula?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is the Webb Telescope?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpacePlace for Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nEn Espa\u00f1ol<\/h2>\n
Ciencia de la NASA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nNASA en espa\u00f1ol\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpace Place\u00a0para ni\u00f1os<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nRelated Topics<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Brown dwarfs are objects that straddle the dividing line between stars and planets. They form like stars, growing dense enough to collapse under their own gravity, but they never become dense and hot enough to begin fusing hydrogen and turn into a star. At the low end of the scale, some brown dwarfs are comparable with giant planets, weighing just a few times the mass of Jupiter.<\/p>\n
What are the smallest stars? <\/h2>\n
Astronomers are trying to determine the smallest object that can form in a star-like manner. A team using NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope has identified the new record-holder: a tiny, free-floating brown dwarf with only three to four times the mass of Jupiter.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne basic question you\u2019ll find in every astronomy textbook is, what are the smallest stars? That\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to answer,\u201d explained lead author Kevin Luhman of Pennsylvania State University.<\/p>\n
Search Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\nTo locate this newfound brown dwarf, Luhman and his colleague, Catarina Alves de Oliveira, chose to study the star cluster IC 348, located about 1,000 light-years away in the Perseus star-forming region. This cluster is young, only about 5 million years old. As a result, any brown dwarfs would still be relatively bright in infrared light, glowing from the heat of their formation.<\/p>\n
The team first imaged the center of the cluster using Webb\u2019s NIRCam<\/a> (Near-Infrared Camera) to identify brown dwarf candidates from their brightness and colors. They followed up on the most promising targets using Webb\u2019s NIRSpec<\/a> (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) microshutter array<\/a>.<\/p>\nImage: Star Cluster IC438<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThis image from the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope shows the central portion of the star cluster IC 348. The wispy curtains filling the image are interstellar material reflecting the light from the cluster\u2019s stars \u2013 what is known as a reflection nebula. The material also includes carbon-containing molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. Winds from the most massive stars in the cluster may help sculpt the large loop seen on the right side of the field of view.<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWebb\u2019s infrared sensitivity was crucial, allowing the team to detect fainter objects than ground-based telescopes. In addition, Webb\u2019s sharp vision enabled them to determine which red objects were pinpoint brown dwarfs and which were blobby background galaxies.<\/p>\n
This winnowing process led to three intriguing targets weighing three to eight Jupiter masses, with surface temperatures ranging from 1,500 to 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit (830 to 1,500 degrees Celsius). The smallest of these weighs just three to four times Jupiter, according to computer models.<\/p>\n
Explaining how such a small brown dwarf could form is theoretically challenging. A heavy and dense cloud of gas has plenty of gravity to collapse and form a star.\u00a0However, because of its weaker gravity, it should be more difficult for a small cloud to collapse to form a brown dwarf, and that is especially true for brown dwarfs with the masses of giant planets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty easy for current models to make giant planets in a disk around a star,\u201d said Catarina Alves de Oliveira of ESA (European Space Agency), principal investigator on the observing program. \u201cBut in this cluster, it would be unlikely this object formed in a disk, instead forming like a star, and three Jupiter masses is 300 times smaller than our Sun. So we have to ask, how does the star formation process operate at such very, very small masses?\u201d<\/p>\n
A Mystery Molecule<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn addition to giving clues about the star-formation process, tiny brown dwarfs also can help astronomers better understand exoplanets. The least massive brown dwarfs overlap with the largest exoplanets; therefore, they would be expected to have some similar properties. However, a free-floating brown dwarf is easier to study than a giant exoplanet since the latter is hidden within the glare of its host star.<\/p>\n
Two of the brown dwarfs identified in this survey show the spectral signature of an unidentified hydrocarbon, or molecule containing both hydrogen and carbon atoms. The same infrared signature was detected by NASA\u2019s Cassini<\/a> mission in the atmospheres of Saturn and its moon Titan. It has also been seen in the interstellar medium, or gas between stars.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is the first time we\u2019ve detected this molecule in the atmosphere of an object outside our solar system,\u201d explained Alves de Oliveira. \u201cModels for brown dwarf atmospheres don\u2019t predict its existence. We\u2019re looking at objects with younger ages and lower masses than we ever have before, and we\u2019re seeing something new and unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n
Image: Three Brown Dwarfs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThis image from the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope shows the central portion of the star cluster IC 348. Astronomers combed the cluster in search of tiny, free-floating brown dwarfs: objects too small to be stars but larger than most planets. They found three brown dwarfs that are less than eight times the mass of Jupiter, which are circled in the main image and shown in the detailed pullouts at right. The smallest weighs just three to four times Jupiter, challenging theories for star formation.<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBrown Dwarf or Rogue Planet?<\/strong><\/h2>\nSince the objects are well within the mass range of giant planets, it raises the question of whether they are actually brown dwarfs, or if they\u2019re really rogue planets that were ejected from planetary systems. While the team can\u2019t rule out the latter, they argue that they are far more likely to be a brown dwarf than an ejected planet.<\/p>\n
An ejected giant planet is unlikely for two reasons. First, such planets are uncommon in general compared to planets with smaller masses. Second, most stars are low-mass stars, and giant planets are especially rare among those stars. As a result, it\u2019s unlikely that most of the stars in IC 348 (which are low-mass stars) are capable of producing such massive planets. In addition, since the cluster is only 5 million years old, there probably hasn\u2019t been enough time for giant planets to form and then be ejected from their systems.<\/p>\n
The discovery of more such objects will help clarify their status. Theories suggest that rogue planets are more likely to be found in the outskirts of a star cluster, so expanding the search area may identify them if they exist within IC 348.<\/p>\n
Future work may also include longer surveys that can detect fainter, smaller objects. The short survey conducted by the team was expected to detect objects as small as twice the mass of Jupiter. Longer surveys could easily reach one Jupiter mass.<\/p>\n
These observations were taken as part of Guaranteed Time Observation program 1229<\/a>. The results were published in the Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.<\/em><\/p>\nDownloads<\/h2>\n
Download full resolution images for this article<\/a><\/strong> from the Space Telescope Science Institute.<\/p>\nRead\/Download the research results<\/a> <\/strong>released in The Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nRight click the images in this article to open a larger version in a new tab\/window.<\/p>\n
Media Contacts<\/h2>\n
Laura\u00a0Betz<\/strong> \u2013 laura.e.betz@nasa.gov<\/a>, Rob Gutro<\/strong>\u2013 rob.gutro@nasa.gov<\/a>
NASA\u2019s \u00a0Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/p>\nHannah Braun <\/strong>\u2013 hbraun@stsci.edu<\/a> , Christine Pulliam<\/strong> \u2013 cpulliam@stsci.ed<\/a>u
Space Telescope Science Institute<\/a>, Baltimore, Md.<\/p>\nRelated Information<\/h2>\n
Lifecycle of Stars<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore Webb News<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/latestnews\/<\/p>\nMore Webb Images<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/multimedia\/images\/<\/p>\nWebb Mission Page<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/<\/p>\n<\/p>\nRelated For Kids<\/h2>\n
How do we weigh planets?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is a nebula?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is the Webb Telescope?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpacePlace for Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nEn Espa\u00f1ol<\/h2>\n
Ciencia de la NASA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nNASA en espa\u00f1ol\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpace Place\u00a0para ni\u00f1os<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nRelated Topics<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n
Image: Star Cluster IC438<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThis image from the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope shows the central portion of the star cluster IC 348. The wispy curtains filling the image are interstellar material reflecting the light from the cluster\u2019s stars \u2013 what is known as a reflection nebula. The material also includes carbon-containing molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. Winds from the most massive stars in the cluster may help sculpt the large loop seen on the right side of the field of view.<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWebb\u2019s infrared sensitivity was crucial, allowing the team to detect fainter objects than ground-based telescopes. In addition, Webb\u2019s sharp vision enabled them to determine which red objects were pinpoint brown dwarfs and which were blobby background galaxies.<\/p>\n
This winnowing process led to three intriguing targets weighing three to eight Jupiter masses, with surface temperatures ranging from 1,500 to 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit (830 to 1,500 degrees Celsius). The smallest of these weighs just three to four times Jupiter, according to computer models.<\/p>\n
Explaining how such a small brown dwarf could form is theoretically challenging. A heavy and dense cloud of gas has plenty of gravity to collapse and form a star.\u00a0However, because of its weaker gravity, it should be more difficult for a small cloud to collapse to form a brown dwarf, and that is especially true for brown dwarfs with the masses of giant planets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty easy for current models to make giant planets in a disk around a star,\u201d said Catarina Alves de Oliveira of ESA (European Space Agency), principal investigator on the observing program. \u201cBut in this cluster, it would be unlikely this object formed in a disk, instead forming like a star, and three Jupiter masses is 300 times smaller than our Sun. So we have to ask, how does the star formation process operate at such very, very small masses?\u201d<\/p>\n
A Mystery Molecule<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn addition to giving clues about the star-formation process, tiny brown dwarfs also can help astronomers better understand exoplanets. The least massive brown dwarfs overlap with the largest exoplanets; therefore, they would be expected to have some similar properties. However, a free-floating brown dwarf is easier to study than a giant exoplanet since the latter is hidden within the glare of its host star.<\/p>\n
Two of the brown dwarfs identified in this survey show the spectral signature of an unidentified hydrocarbon, or molecule containing both hydrogen and carbon atoms. The same infrared signature was detected by NASA\u2019s Cassini<\/a> mission in the atmospheres of Saturn and its moon Titan. It has also been seen in the interstellar medium, or gas between stars.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is the first time we\u2019ve detected this molecule in the atmosphere of an object outside our solar system,\u201d explained Alves de Oliveira. \u201cModels for brown dwarf atmospheres don\u2019t predict its existence. We\u2019re looking at objects with younger ages and lower masses than we ever have before, and we\u2019re seeing something new and unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n
Image: Three Brown Dwarfs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThis image from the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope shows the central portion of the star cluster IC 348. Astronomers combed the cluster in search of tiny, free-floating brown dwarfs: objects too small to be stars but larger than most planets. They found three brown dwarfs that are less than eight times the mass of Jupiter, which are circled in the main image and shown in the detailed pullouts at right. The smallest weighs just three to four times Jupiter, challenging theories for star formation.<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBrown Dwarf or Rogue Planet?<\/strong><\/h2>\nSince the objects are well within the mass range of giant planets, it raises the question of whether they are actually brown dwarfs, or if they\u2019re really rogue planets that were ejected from planetary systems. While the team can\u2019t rule out the latter, they argue that they are far more likely to be a brown dwarf than an ejected planet.<\/p>\n
An ejected giant planet is unlikely for two reasons. First, such planets are uncommon in general compared to planets with smaller masses. Second, most stars are low-mass stars, and giant planets are especially rare among those stars. As a result, it\u2019s unlikely that most of the stars in IC 348 (which are low-mass stars) are capable of producing such massive planets. In addition, since the cluster is only 5 million years old, there probably hasn\u2019t been enough time for giant planets to form and then be ejected from their systems.<\/p>\n
The discovery of more such objects will help clarify their status. Theories suggest that rogue planets are more likely to be found in the outskirts of a star cluster, so expanding the search area may identify them if they exist within IC 348.<\/p>\n
Future work may also include longer surveys that can detect fainter, smaller objects. The short survey conducted by the team was expected to detect objects as small as twice the mass of Jupiter. Longer surveys could easily reach one Jupiter mass.<\/p>\n
These observations were taken as part of Guaranteed Time Observation program 1229<\/a>. The results were published in the Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.<\/em><\/p>\nDownloads<\/h2>\n
Download full resolution images for this article<\/a><\/strong> from the Space Telescope Science Institute.<\/p>\nRead\/Download the research results<\/a> <\/strong>released in The Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nRight click the images in this article to open a larger version in a new tab\/window.<\/p>\n
Media Contacts<\/h2>\n
Laura\u00a0Betz<\/strong> \u2013 laura.e.betz@nasa.gov<\/a>, Rob Gutro<\/strong>\u2013 rob.gutro@nasa.gov<\/a>
NASA\u2019s \u00a0Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/p>\nHannah Braun <\/strong>\u2013 hbraun@stsci.edu<\/a> , Christine Pulliam<\/strong> \u2013 cpulliam@stsci.ed<\/a>u
Space Telescope Science Institute<\/a>, Baltimore, Md.<\/p>\nRelated Information<\/h2>\n
Lifecycle of Stars<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore Webb News<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/latestnews\/<\/p>\nMore Webb Images<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/multimedia\/images\/<\/p>\nWebb Mission Page<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/<\/p>\n<\/p>\nRelated For Kids<\/h2>\n
How do we weigh planets?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is a nebula?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is the Webb Telescope?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpacePlace for Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nEn Espa\u00f1ol<\/h2>\n
Ciencia de la NASA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nNASA en espa\u00f1ol\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpace Place\u00a0para ni\u00f1os<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nRelated Topics<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n
<\/figure>Webb\u2019s infrared sensitivity was crucial, allowing the team to detect fainter objects than ground-based telescopes. In addition, Webb\u2019s sharp vision enabled them to determine which red objects were pinpoint brown dwarfs and which were blobby background galaxies.<\/p>\n
This winnowing process led to three intriguing targets weighing three to eight Jupiter masses, with surface temperatures ranging from 1,500 to 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit (830 to 1,500 degrees Celsius). The smallest of these weighs just three to four times Jupiter, according to computer models.<\/p>\n
Explaining how such a small brown dwarf could form is theoretically challenging. A heavy and dense cloud of gas has plenty of gravity to collapse and form a star.\u00a0However, because of its weaker gravity, it should be more difficult for a small cloud to collapse to form a brown dwarf, and that is especially true for brown dwarfs with the masses of giant planets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty easy for current models to make giant planets in a disk around a star,\u201d said Catarina Alves de Oliveira of ESA (European Space Agency), principal investigator on the observing program. \u201cBut in this cluster, it would be unlikely this object formed in a disk, instead forming like a star, and three Jupiter masses is 300 times smaller than our Sun. So we have to ask, how does the star formation process operate at such very, very small masses?\u201d<\/p>\n
A Mystery Molecule<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn addition to giving clues about the star-formation process, tiny brown dwarfs also can help astronomers better understand exoplanets. The least massive brown dwarfs overlap with the largest exoplanets; therefore, they would be expected to have some similar properties. However, a free-floating brown dwarf is easier to study than a giant exoplanet since the latter is hidden within the glare of its host star.<\/p>\n
Two of the brown dwarfs identified in this survey show the spectral signature of an unidentified hydrocarbon, or molecule containing both hydrogen and carbon atoms. The same infrared signature was detected by NASA\u2019s Cassini<\/a> mission in the atmospheres of Saturn and its moon Titan. It has also been seen in the interstellar medium, or gas between stars.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is the first time we\u2019ve detected this molecule in the atmosphere of an object outside our solar system,\u201d explained Alves de Oliveira. \u201cModels for brown dwarf atmospheres don\u2019t predict its existence. We\u2019re looking at objects with younger ages and lower masses than we ever have before, and we\u2019re seeing something new and unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n
Image: Three Brown Dwarfs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThis image from the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope shows the central portion of the star cluster IC 348. Astronomers combed the cluster in search of tiny, free-floating brown dwarfs: objects too small to be stars but larger than most planets. They found three brown dwarfs that are less than eight times the mass of Jupiter, which are circled in the main image and shown in the detailed pullouts at right. The smallest weighs just three to four times Jupiter, challenging theories for star formation.<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBrown Dwarf or Rogue Planet?<\/strong><\/h2>\nSince the objects are well within the mass range of giant planets, it raises the question of whether they are actually brown dwarfs, or if they\u2019re really rogue planets that were ejected from planetary systems. While the team can\u2019t rule out the latter, they argue that they are far more likely to be a brown dwarf than an ejected planet.<\/p>\n
An ejected giant planet is unlikely for two reasons. First, such planets are uncommon in general compared to planets with smaller masses. Second, most stars are low-mass stars, and giant planets are especially rare among those stars. As a result, it\u2019s unlikely that most of the stars in IC 348 (which are low-mass stars) are capable of producing such massive planets. In addition, since the cluster is only 5 million years old, there probably hasn\u2019t been enough time for giant planets to form and then be ejected from their systems.<\/p>\n
The discovery of more such objects will help clarify their status. Theories suggest that rogue planets are more likely to be found in the outskirts of a star cluster, so expanding the search area may identify them if they exist within IC 348.<\/p>\n
Future work may also include longer surveys that can detect fainter, smaller objects. The short survey conducted by the team was expected to detect objects as small as twice the mass of Jupiter. Longer surveys could easily reach one Jupiter mass.<\/p>\n
These observations were taken as part of Guaranteed Time Observation program 1229<\/a>. The results were published in the Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.<\/em><\/p>\nDownloads<\/h2>\n
Download full resolution images for this article<\/a><\/strong> from the Space Telescope Science Institute.<\/p>\nRead\/Download the research results<\/a> <\/strong>released in The Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nRight click the images in this article to open a larger version in a new tab\/window.<\/p>\n
Media Contacts<\/h2>\n
Laura\u00a0Betz<\/strong> \u2013 laura.e.betz@nasa.gov<\/a>, Rob Gutro<\/strong>\u2013 rob.gutro@nasa.gov<\/a>
NASA\u2019s \u00a0Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/p>\nHannah Braun <\/strong>\u2013 hbraun@stsci.edu<\/a> , Christine Pulliam<\/strong> \u2013 cpulliam@stsci.ed<\/a>u
Space Telescope Science Institute<\/a>, Baltimore, Md.<\/p>\nRelated Information<\/h2>\n
Lifecycle of Stars<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore Webb News<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/latestnews\/<\/p>\nMore Webb Images<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/multimedia\/images\/<\/p>\nWebb Mission Page<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/<\/p>\n<\/p>\nRelated For Kids<\/h2>\n
How do we weigh planets?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is a nebula?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is the Webb Telescope?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpacePlace for Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nEn Espa\u00f1ol<\/h2>\n
Ciencia de la NASA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nNASA en espa\u00f1ol\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpace Place\u00a0para ni\u00f1os<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nRelated Topics<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThis is the first time we\u2019ve detected this molecule in the atmosphere of an object outside our solar system,\u201d explained Alves de Oliveira. \u201cModels for brown dwarf atmospheres don\u2019t predict its existence. We\u2019re looking at objects with younger ages and lower masses than we ever have before, and we\u2019re seeing something new and unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n
Image: Three Brown Dwarfs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThis image from the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope shows the central portion of the star cluster IC 348. Astronomers combed the cluster in search of tiny, free-floating brown dwarfs: objects too small to be stars but larger than most planets. They found three brown dwarfs that are less than eight times the mass of Jupiter, which are circled in the main image and shown in the detailed pullouts at right. The smallest weighs just three to four times Jupiter, challenging theories for star formation.<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, K. Luhman (Penn State University), and C. Alves de Oliveira (ESA)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBrown Dwarf or Rogue Planet?<\/strong><\/h2>\nSince the objects are well within the mass range of giant planets, it raises the question of whether they are actually brown dwarfs, or if they\u2019re really rogue planets that were ejected from planetary systems. While the team can\u2019t rule out the latter, they argue that they are far more likely to be a brown dwarf than an ejected planet.<\/p>\n
An ejected giant planet is unlikely for two reasons. First, such planets are uncommon in general compared to planets with smaller masses. Second, most stars are low-mass stars, and giant planets are especially rare among those stars. As a result, it\u2019s unlikely that most of the stars in IC 348 (which are low-mass stars) are capable of producing such massive planets. In addition, since the cluster is only 5 million years old, there probably hasn\u2019t been enough time for giant planets to form and then be ejected from their systems.<\/p>\n
The discovery of more such objects will help clarify their status. Theories suggest that rogue planets are more likely to be found in the outskirts of a star cluster, so expanding the search area may identify them if they exist within IC 348.<\/p>\n
Future work may also include longer surveys that can detect fainter, smaller objects. The short survey conducted by the team was expected to detect objects as small as twice the mass of Jupiter. Longer surveys could easily reach one Jupiter mass.<\/p>\n
These observations were taken as part of Guaranteed Time Observation program 1229<\/a>. The results were published in the Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.<\/em><\/p>\nDownloads<\/h2>\n
Download full resolution images for this article<\/a><\/strong> from the Space Telescope Science Institute.<\/p>\nRead\/Download the research results<\/a> <\/strong>released in The Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nRight click the images in this article to open a larger version in a new tab\/window.<\/p>\n
Media Contacts<\/h2>\n
Laura\u00a0Betz<\/strong> \u2013 laura.e.betz@nasa.gov<\/a>, Rob Gutro<\/strong>\u2013 rob.gutro@nasa.gov<\/a>
NASA\u2019s \u00a0Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/p>\nHannah Braun <\/strong>\u2013 hbraun@stsci.edu<\/a> , Christine Pulliam<\/strong> \u2013 cpulliam@stsci.ed<\/a>u
Space Telescope Science Institute<\/a>, Baltimore, Md.<\/p>\nRelated Information<\/h2>\n
Lifecycle of Stars<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore Webb News<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/latestnews\/<\/p>\nMore Webb Images<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/multimedia\/images\/<\/p>\nWebb Mission Page<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/<\/p>\n<\/p>\nRelated For Kids<\/h2>\n
How do we weigh planets?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is a nebula?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is the Webb Telescope?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpacePlace for Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nEn Espa\u00f1ol<\/h2>\n
Ciencia de la NASA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nNASA en espa\u00f1ol\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpace Place\u00a0para ni\u00f1os<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nRelated Topics<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n
<\/figure>Brown Dwarf or Rogue Planet?<\/strong><\/h2>\nSince the objects are well within the mass range of giant planets, it raises the question of whether they are actually brown dwarfs, or if they\u2019re really rogue planets that were ejected from planetary systems. While the team can\u2019t rule out the latter, they argue that they are far more likely to be a brown dwarf than an ejected planet.<\/p>\n
An ejected giant planet is unlikely for two reasons. First, such planets are uncommon in general compared to planets with smaller masses. Second, most stars are low-mass stars, and giant planets are especially rare among those stars. As a result, it\u2019s unlikely that most of the stars in IC 348 (which are low-mass stars) are capable of producing such massive planets. In addition, since the cluster is only 5 million years old, there probably hasn\u2019t been enough time for giant planets to form and then be ejected from their systems.<\/p>\n
The discovery of more such objects will help clarify their status. Theories suggest that rogue planets are more likely to be found in the outskirts of a star cluster, so expanding the search area may identify them if they exist within IC 348.<\/p>\n
Future work may also include longer surveys that can detect fainter, smaller objects. The short survey conducted by the team was expected to detect objects as small as twice the mass of Jupiter. Longer surveys could easily reach one Jupiter mass.<\/p>\n
These observations were taken as part of Guaranteed Time Observation program 1229<\/a>. The results were published in the Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.<\/em><\/p>\nDownloads<\/h2>\n
Download full resolution images for this article<\/a><\/strong> from the Space Telescope Science Institute.<\/p>\nRead\/Download the research results<\/a> <\/strong>released in The Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\nRight click the images in this article to open a larger version in a new tab\/window.<\/p>\n
Media Contacts<\/h2>\n
Laura\u00a0Betz<\/strong> \u2013 laura.e.betz@nasa.gov<\/a>, Rob Gutro<\/strong>\u2013 rob.gutro@nasa.gov<\/a>
NASA\u2019s \u00a0Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/p>\nHannah Braun <\/strong>\u2013 hbraun@stsci.edu<\/a> , Christine Pulliam<\/strong> \u2013 cpulliam@stsci.ed<\/a>u
Space Telescope Science Institute<\/a>, Baltimore, Md.<\/p>\nRelated Information<\/h2>\n
Lifecycle of Stars<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore Webb News<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/latestnews\/<\/p>\nMore Webb Images<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/multimedia\/images\/<\/p>\nWebb Mission Page<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/<\/p>\n<\/p>\nRelated For Kids<\/h2>\n
How do we weigh planets?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is a nebula?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is the Webb Telescope?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpacePlace for Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nEn Espa\u00f1ol<\/h2>\n
Ciencia de la NASA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nNASA en espa\u00f1ol\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSpace Place\u00a0para ni\u00f1os<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nRelated Topics<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.<\/em><\/p>\n Download full resolution images for this article<\/a><\/strong> from the Space Telescope Science Institute.<\/p>\n Read\/Download the research results<\/a> <\/strong>released in The Astronomical Journal.<\/p>\n Right click the images in this article to open a larger version in a new tab\/window.<\/p>\n Laura\u00a0Betz<\/strong> \u2013 laura.e.betz@nasa.gov<\/a>, Rob Gutro<\/strong>\u2013 rob.gutro@nasa.gov<\/a> Hannah Braun <\/strong>\u2013 hbraun@stsci.edu<\/a> , Christine Pulliam<\/strong> \u2013 cpulliam@stsci.ed<\/a>u Lifecycle of Stars<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n More Webb News<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/latestnews\/<\/p>\n More Webb Images<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/multimedia\/images\/<\/p>\n Webb Mission Page<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/<\/p>\n<\/p>\n How do we weigh planets?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n What is a nebula?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n What is the Webb Telescope?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n SpacePlace for Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Ciencia de la NASA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n NASA en espa\u00f1ol\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Space Place\u00a0para ni\u00f1os<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nDownloads<\/h2>\n
Media Contacts<\/h2>\n
NASA\u2019s \u00a0Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/p>\n
Space Telescope Science Institute<\/a>, Baltimore, Md.<\/p>\nRelated Information<\/h2>\n
Related For Kids<\/h2>\n
En Espa\u00f1ol<\/h2>\n
Related Topics<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n