Brown Dwarf - Superelative Brown Dwarfs

Superelative Brown Dwarfs

  • WD 0137-349 B: first confirmed brown dwarf to have survived the primary's red giant phase.
  • In 1984 it was postulated by some astronomers that the Sun may be orbited by an undetected brown dwarf (sometimes referred to as Nemesis) which could interact with the Oort cloud just as passing stars can. But this dated theory has fallen out of favor.
Table of Firsts
Brown Dwarfs
Title Brown Dwarf Name Spectral Type RA/Dec Constellation Notes
First discovered Teide 1 (Pleiades Open Star Cluster) M8 3h47m18.0s +24°22'31" Taurus Imaged in 1989 and 1994
First imaged with coronography Gliese 229 B T6.5 06h10m34.62s −21°51'52.1" Lepus Discovered 1994
First with planemo 2MASSW J1207334-393254 M8 12h07m33.47s −39°32'54.0" Centaurus
First with a planetary mass in orbit about it 2M1207
First with a dust disk
First with bipolar outflow
First field type (solitary) Teide 1 M8 3h47m18.0s +24°22'31" Taurus 1995
First as a companion to a normal star Gliese 229 B T6.5 06h10m34.62s −21°51'52.1" Lepus 1995
First spectroscopic binary brown dwarf PPL 15 A, B M6.5 Taurus Basri and Martin 1999
First binary brown dwarf of T Type Epsilon Indi Ba, Bb T1 + T6 Indus Distance: 3.626pc
First trinary brown dwarf DENIS-P J020529.0-115925 A/B/C L5, L8 and T0 02h05m29.40s −11°59'29.7" Cetus Delfosse et al. 1997, mentions
First halo brown dwarf 2MASS J05325346+8246465 sdL7 05h32m53.46s +82°46'46.5" Gemini Adam J. Burgasser, et al. 2003
First Late-M spectra Teide 1 M8 3h47m18.0s +24°22'31" Taurus 1995
First L spectra
First T spectra Gliese 229 B T6.5 06h10m34.62s −21°51'52.1" Lepus 1995
Latest T spectrum ULAS J0034-00 T9 Cetus 2007
First Y spectrum CFBDS0059 – pending. This is also classified as a T9 dwarf, due to its close resemblance to other T dwarfs ~Y0 2008
First X-ray-emitting Cha Halpha 1 M8 Chamaeleon 1998
First X-ray flare LP 944-20 M9V 03h39m35.22s −35°25'44.1" Fornax 1999
First radio emission (in flare and quiescence) LP 944-20 M9V 03h39m35.22s −35°25'44.1" Fornax 2000
Table of Extremes
Brown Dwarfs
Title Brown Dwarf Name Spectral Type RA/Dec Constellation Notes
Oldest
Youngest
Heaviest
Metal-rich
Metal-poor 2MASS J05325346+8246465 sdL7 05h32m53.46s +82°46'46.5" Gemini distance is ~10–30pc, metallicity is 0.1–0.01ZSol
Lightest
Largest
Smallest
Furthest WISP 0307-7243 T4.5 03h07m45.12s −72°43'57.5" Distance: 400pc
Nearest WISE 1541-2250 Y Distance: 9 ly
Nearest binary Epsilon Indi Ba, Bb T1 + T6 Indus Distance: 12 ly
Brightest
Dimmest 2MASS J09393548-2448279
Hottest
Coolest WISE 1828+2650 Y Temperature 300 K
Most dense COROT-3b Transiting brown dwarf COROT-3b has 22 MJ with a diameter 1.01±0.07 times that of Jupiter. This makes it twice as dense as the metal platinum.
Least dense
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