Two Maunakea Telescopes Confirm First Brown Dwarf Discovered by Radio Observations
Observing Clusters of Galaxies Collide
November 17, 2020
Blast from the Past!
December 8, 2020
Artist’s impression of the cold brown dwarf BDR J1750+3809. The blue loops depict the magnetic field lines. Charged particles moving along these lines emit radio waves that LOFAR detected. Some particles eventually reach the poles and generate aurorae similar to the northern lights on Earth. Credit: ASTRON/Danielle Futselaar
For the first time, astronomers have combined observations from a large radio telescope (known as LOFAR) in Europe and two telescopes on Maunakea – the IRTF and Gemini – to discover and investigate a cold brown dwarf, or failed star. This is the first such object to be discovered through radio observations — until now, brown dwarfs have always been uncovered in large infrared and optical surveys. In addition to paving the way for future brown dwarf discoveries, this result illustrates how radio and optical/infrared telescopes can complement each other and paint a more complete picture of the Universe. Astronomers describe science like this, that uses observations in multiple parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, as Multi-Messenger Astronomy.
Read more, in the Gemini Observatory press release.
Related posts
Discovery image of the planet 2M0437, which lies about 100 times the Earth-Sun distance from its parent star. The image was taken with IRCS on the Subaru Telescope. The much-brighter host star has been mostly removed, and the four "spikes" are artifacts produced by the optics of the telescope. (Credit: University of Hawai`i)
Artist’s rendition of a newly-discovered Jupiter-like exoplanet orbiting a white dwarf, or dead star. This system is evidence that planets can survive their host star’s explosive red giant phase and is the very first confirmed planetary system that serves as an analog to the fate of the sun and Jupiter in our own solar system. Credit: W. M. Keck Observatory/Adam Makarenko
The "meteor cluster event" captured by the "Subaru-Asahi Sky Camera" which occurred at 3:58 a.m. Hawai`i time on July 14 (1:58 p.m. UTC). In the foreground are the domes of other Maunakea Observatories. (Credit: Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and Asahi Shimbun Company)