A grouping of citizen scientists has discovered a failed star , or brownish dwarf , about 100 light - years from Earth . The finding are published inThe Astrophysical Journal Letters .
The discovery was made by a projection calledBackyard Worlds : satellite 9 . This launched back in February this class , with the goal of trying to find the theorizedninth satellite of our Solar System .
But the project is also count for brown dwarf , too . These are objects that are big than gas gargantuan major planet but smaller than wizard , being too down mass to take fire nuclear fusion reaction at their centre . As such , they are relatively dull and hard to find – and sometimes we even slip them forrogue planets , too .
They do , however , give off a detectable infrared luminescence . And as Backyard Worlds is using NASA ’s Wide - field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ) scope , it was able to pluck up the glow of one in particular – the first discovery for the project .
“ I was so proud of our volunteers as I date the data point on this new dusty cosmos coming in , ” said Jackie Faherty , a senior scientist in the American Museum of Natural History ’s Department of Astrophysics and one of Backyard World ’s researchers , in astatement . “ It was a feel - sound moment for science . ”
The object is called WISEA J110125.95 + 540052.8 but , while we eff where it is , we only have a harsh estimate of its mass at about 45 times that of Jupiter . It ’s breakthrough , though , is being heralded as a boon for citizen skill . It was discussed just days into the start of the project .
There are 37,000 users involved in Backyard Worlds , and four of them were involved in making this discovery . If you ’d like to get involved yourself via the Zooniverse website , you’re able to do soright here .
Most of the focus of the project is on regain Planet Nine , a theorized Neptune - sized world tarry at the edge of the Solar System . accord to various manakin , it should come out in some of the images .
The task works by taking persona from the WISE mission and having people sift through them . object of interest group like brown dwarfs or Planet Nine will glow in infrared frequency in the images , whereas more ordinary stars and the other planets shine in seeable light .
It ’s suppose there could be many brownish dwarfs lurking all over our galaxy . Given how quick this latest aim was found , that seems to be a pretty safe wager . Now it ’s just time to chance that plaguy 9th planet .
