Science & Space
NASA’s SPHEREx Reveals Chemically Rich Atmospheres Around Brown Dwarfs
New SPHEREx findings show brown dwarfs possess chemically rich, cloudy atmospheres that blur the boundary between stars and exoplanets.
What happened
NASA’s SPHEREx space telescope has produced new findings on brown dwarfs, celestial objects between stars and exoplanets. Published in The Astrophysical Journal, the research shows these dark, cloudy worlds have chemically rich atmospheres. The observations add detail to scientists’ understanding of brown dwarfs and their unusual place in astronomy.
Why it matters
The findings improve scientific understanding of atmospheric chemistry in objects that do not fit neatly into either the star or exoplanet category.
Source: NASA