A class of object, long predicted by astrophysicists,
\n\t\t\t\tsits in the mass range between the giant gaseous planets
\n\t\t\t\tand the M dwarf stars.\u00a0 These objects are called brown
\n\t\t\t\tdwarfs.\u00a0 They are massive enough to burn deuterium, but they
\n\t\t\t\tare too light to burn hydrogen.\u00a0 The first brown dwarf was
\n\t\t\t\tobserved orbiting an M dwarf star in 1988, and since that
\n\t\t\t\ttime, hundreds of additional brown dwarfs have been found.
\n\t\t\t\tThey are cool, so they are primarily emitters of infrared
\n\t\t\t\tradiation.\u00a0 In the early stages of their lives, they are
\n\t\t\t\tpowered by deuterium fusion and gravitational potential
\n\t\t\t\tenergy, but when they consume their deuterium, and when
\n\t\t\t\tthe electron degeneracy pressure stops their shrinkage,
\n\t\t\t\tthey grow cold and dark.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A class of object, long predicted by astrophysicists, sits in the mass range between the giant gaseous planets and the M dwarf stars.\u00a0 These objects are called brown dwarfs.\u00a0 They are massive enough to burn deuterium, but they are too … Continue reading