Cool as a Stellar Cucumber
This image shows what astronomers think is one of the coldest brown dwarfs discovered so far (red dot in middle of frame). The object, called SDWFS J143524.44+335334.6, is one of 14 such brown dwarfs found by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope using infrared light. Follow-up observations are required to nail down this "failed" star's temperature, but rough estimates put this particular object at about 600 Kelvin (620 degrees Fahrenheit). In this image, infrared light with a wavelength of 3.6 microns is color-coded blue; 4.5-micron light is red. The brown dwarf shows up prominently in red because methane is absorbing the 3.6-micron, or blue-coded, light.
|
Image details
ID#:
PIA13216
Date added:
2010-06-24
Mission:
Spitzer Space Telescope
Spacecraft:
Spitzer Space Telescope
Instruments:
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
Size:
556 x 556 pixels (width x height)
Rating:
Views:
1,842
Full-Res TIFF:
PIA13216.tif (0.93 MB)
Full-Res JPG:
PIA13216.jpg (0.02 MB)
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
|
 |

|
-
Artist's Concept: Active B...
Added May 9, 2012
Fun House Mirror in Space
Added August 19, 2010
NGC 7380
Added March 13, 2010
-
The Helix Nebula: Unraveli...
Added October 3, 2012
Analyzing Hot DOG Galaxies
Added August 29, 2012
WISE Reveals a Hidden Star...
Added August 3, 2010
-
An Audience Favorite Nebula
Added March 8, 2012
Is There Anybody Home?
Added December 9, 2004
Reigning Title-Holder for ...
Added August 23, 2011
|
-
Physics of How DAN on Curi...
Added April 8, 2013
Curiosity's First Rock Star
Added August 17, 2012
Artist's concept of SIM Pl...
Added December 21, 2002
-
Layers in Arsia Mons Volcano
Added October 28, 2010
Chipped Paint Crater
Added April 9, 2003
Scanning for Asteroids and...
Added May 25, 2010
-
Two Suns Raise Family of P...
Added March 29, 2007
NEOCam Sensor
Added April 15, 2013
Pushing and Pulling
Added July 30, 2010
|
|
 |
 |
|