brown dwarf

brown dwarf

n.

A celestial body that resembles a star but does not emit light because it is too small to ignite internal nuclear fusion. The planet Jupiter is a small brown dwarf.

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brown dwarf

A celestial body with insufficient mass to sustain the nuclear fusion that produces radiant energy in normal stars. It is believed that a brown dwarf is formed with enough mass to start nuclear fusion in its core, but without enough for the fusion to become self-sustaining. Theory suggests that a body with about one percent of the mass of the Sunor ten times the mass of Jupitercan generate this initial fusion, but that it needs at least eight percent of the Sun's mass to sustain the fusion. After the fusion ends, the dwarf still glows for a period from radiating heat, with a surface temperature of about 2,500°K (4,532°F) or less. See Note at dwarf star.