Too large to be planets and too small to be stars, brown dwarves are known to exist in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from 80 to 15 times the mass of Jupiter. Larger gas objects ignite into stars. Smaller ones generally remain hidden from even the most sophisticated orbiting observatories. However, by studying relatively young and bright brown dwarves, one team found some as small as 10 times the mass of Jupiter, according to the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, which manages the Hubble telescope. The trend continues downward to nearly planetary masses.
Many questions remain about the evolution of brown dwarves.
The answers could help explain the genesis of other celestial bodies. The studies, which together tallied a total of 80 brown dwarves, will be published in the Astrophysical Journal in September and October. Pages will open in a new browser window External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.