Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Failed stars, termed brown dwarfs in astronomers' parlance , are too low in mass to ignite nuclear hydrogen burning in their cores, yet still shine feebly as the energy from their gravitational collapse is converted to heat and light. Magnetic fields twisted and broken by turbulent motions near the surface of the brown dwarf may be the culprit. Difficult to detect because they are otherwise faint, brown dwarf stars are believed to be common throughout the galaxy.
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