A brown dwarf discovered 30 years ago is actually twins circling each other
AP Science Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists say a celestial object discovered decades ago is actually twins orbiting each other. The discovery was published Wednesday in the journal Nature. Astronomers have puzzled over a brown dwarf spotted 30 years ago. Brown dwarfs are sometimes called failed stars because they’re lighter than stars, but heavier than gas giant planets. This object appeared too dim for its mass. Using a telescope in Chile, astronomers observed it was actually a duo circling close to each other. Brown dwarf pairs have been spied before, but this pair orbit at much closer range.
