Scientists have recently confirmed that a celestial object discovered decades ago is actually a pair of twins orbiting each other. This discovery sheds light on the mysterious nature of brown dwarfs, such as Gliese 229B, which was the first brown dwarf ever discovered 30 years ago. Brown dwarfs are often referred to as failed stars because they are lighter than stars but heavier than gas giant planets.
Initially, Gliese 229B appeared too dim for its mass, leaving astronomers puzzled. However, using the Very Large Telescope in Chile, researchers were able to collect light and chemical clues that revealed the object to be a duo orbiting closely to each other.
Kevin Luhman, an astronomer at Pennsylvania State University, commented on the discovery, stating that it resolves a significant discrepancy in our understanding of these celestial objects. The twins are orbiting a small star located about 18 light-years away, with a light-year equivalent to 5.8 trillion miles.
While brown dwarf pairs have been observed before, these twins have a much closer range of orbit. They circle each other every 12 days, which is faster than the time it takes for the moon to orbit the Earth. This unique discovery highlights the diversity of solar systems in the universe, as noted by study co-author Rebecca Oppenheimer from the American Museum of Natural History.
The research detailing the discovery of these twins was published in the journal Nature, showcasing the potential existence of other hidden brown dwarf partners, according to co-author Jerry Xuan from the California Institute of Technology.
By Adithi Ramakrishnan
