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Record-Breaking Radio Waves Detected from Ultra-Cool Star (2 of 2)

Caption: Penn State University astronomers using the world's largest radio telescope at Arecibo, Puerto Rico, have discovered flaring radio emissions from the ultra-cool star J1047+21, known as a brown dwarf, which is not much warmer than the planet Jupiter, shattering the previous record for the lowest temperature at which radio waves had been detected from a star. The detection technique may be used to hunt for giant planets outside our solar system. The leader of the discovery team also led the discovery of the first planets ever found outside our solar system. This artist's impression shows the relative sizes and colors of the Sun, a red dwarf (M-dwarf), a hotter brown dwarf (L-dwarf), a cool brown dwarf (T-dwarf) similar to J1047+21, and the planet Jupiter.

Credit: NASA/IPAC/R. Hurt (SSC)

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Related news release: Record-breaking radio waves discovered from ultra-cool star