Cool Planet-Like Object May Have Spent Much of Its Youth as Hot as a Star
Washington, DC - Astronomers have discovered a very cool object that could have a rich history even though it is now as fresh as a planet, he may have spent much of her as hot as a star youth.
Current temperature of the object is 200 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (100-150 degrees Celsius), which is intermediate between that of Earth and Venus. However, the object shows signs of ancient origin, which implies that there was a large temperature change. In the past, this article would have been as hot as a star for millions of years.
J0304-2705 called WISE, the object is a class member coolest temperature class newly created stars "Y dwarf" yet defined after other classes O, B, A, F, G, K, M, L and T . Though the temperature is similar to that of the planets, the object is different from rocky Earth-like planets, and the place is a giant ball of gas like Jupiter.
International discovery team, led by David Pinfield of the University of Hertfordshire including Carnegie Yuri Beletsky, Y dwarf identified using the observatory, a NASA space telescope WISE has reflected all infrared-Midheaven. The team also measured the spectrum of light emitted by the dwarf And allowing them to determine their current temperature and better understand its history. Their work is published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Only 20 other dwarfs and have been discovered to date, and between J0304-2705 WISE is defined as "special" because of the unusual features in the spectrum of the emitted light.
"Our measurements suggest that this dwarf and may have a composition and / or the characteristic age of one of the oldest members of the galaxy," Pinfield said. "This would mean a change in temperature could be quite extreme."
Why J0304-2705 WISE undergoes significant cooling of evolution, as it is "sub-feature" which means that the interior enough for hydrogen fusion is not heated, the process that kept our hot sun for thousands of million years, without a source of energy to maintain a stable temperature, cooling and fading is inevitable.
If J0304-2705 WISE is an old object and its temperature evolution would have gone through a series of steps including (as described above in the illustration): In his first time about 20 million years ago, which would a temperature of at least 5,100 degrees Fahrenheit (2,800 degrees Celsius), the same as the red dwarf stars like Proxima Centauri (the closest star to the Sun). After 100 million years will have cooled to about 2700 degrees Fahrenheit (1500 degrees Celsius), with silicate condensation clouds in the atmosphere. In a billion years old, would have cooled to about 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius), as fresh as methane and water vapor dominate its appearance. And since then, he would have continued to cool at the current temperature, just enough to boil water for a cup of tea.
WISE J0304-2705 is more massive than Jupiter combined 20-30, which is intermediate between the most massive stars and planets typical. But in terms of the temperature, which may have been "taken the path" of the planets and the conditions of star.
After identifying WISE 0304-2705, the team made crucial observations Pinfield on the floor with some of the largest telescopes in the world-the 8m Gemini South Telescope, Magellan telescope 6.5 meters and 3.6 meters New Technology Telescope Observatory European South, all located in the Chilean Andes.
Mariusz Gromadzki team member said, "surface measurements were very difficult, even with the largest telescopes was very exciting when the results showed how this item was fresh, and it was unusual.".
"The discovery of WISE J0304-2705 with special light spectrum, to continuously challenge the most powerful modern telescopes that are used for detailed study," says Maria Teresa Ruiz, a member of the team at the University of Chile.
WISE J0304-2705 is in the constellation of Fornax (oven), belying its cool.
Currently there is no lower limit for the temperature Y dwarfs, and there could be many objects detected fresher and more diverse in the solar neighborhood. WISE went into hibernation in February 2011 after fulfilling its primary mission of research. However, by popular demand, it was revived in December 2013 and continues to meet as part of an extension of the three-year mission.
"WISE provides good sensitivity to cooler objects," Pinfield said, "and three years of observations, which will be able to search the sky for more Y dwarfs, and most diverse eclipse Y".
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