Astronomers classify the object as a brown dwarf-class star

Apr 27, 2012 09:30 GMT  ·  By
Brown dwarfs are only slightly warmer than gas giants, yet they are able to produce radio waves
   Brown dwarfs are only slightly warmer than gas giants, yet they are able to produce radio waves

Recent astronomical observations found a cosmic phenomenon that shatters previous records for the lowest stellar temperature at which radio waves can be produced. Researchers were able to find flaring radio emissions coming from an ultra-cool, brown dwarf-class star.

Brown dwarfs are often referred to as failed stars, because they are a lot smaller and cooler than average stars. In fact, some of them are so small and cool that they blur the difference between stars and gas giants. Such is the case with the brown dwarf J1047+21.

Located only 33.6 light-years away from the Sun, the object is the coldest member of its class ever discovered. Scientists estimate that it is only slightly warmer than Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. Yet, it appears to be capable of producing radio waves.

The investigation that established this fact was conducted using the largest, single-aperture radio telescope in the world, the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. The installation's main dish is around 305 meters (1,000 feet) in diameter, and orientation is achieved through the rotation of the planet.

The team that carried out the research was made up of experts from the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and the Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, both at the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State).

The group was led by the astronomer who discovered the first extrasolar planets ever, Alex Wolsczan.

J1047+21 “is the coolest brown dwarf ever detected emitting radio waves – it's half the temperature of the previous record holder, making it only about five times hotter than Jupiter,” Penn State graduate student and lead study author, Matthew Route, explains.

“This is a really exciting result. We hope that in the future we'll be able to detect yet colder brown dwarfs, and possibly even giant planets around other stars,” adds Wolsczan, the Evan Pugh professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State.

One of the most interesting implications of the new research is that young, hot planets outside our solar system could potentially be identified by their radio emissions as well. This would represent a new technique of searching for alien worlds, the team writes in the March 10 issue of the Astrophysical Journal.

“The Earth's field protects life on its surface from harmful particles of the solar wind. Knowing whether planetary magnetic fields are common or not throughout the Galaxy will aid our efforts to understand chances that life may exist beyond the Solar System,” the Penn State team leader concludes.