NASA Citizen-Science Search Targets Brown Dwarf Companions Near the Sun

Some stars are orbited by planets, while others are paired with brown dwarfs: objects too massive to be planets but not massive enough to shine as true stars. These star-brown dwarf systems are especially valuable to astronomers because the star can help reveal the brown dwarf’s age, a measurement that is often difficult but essential for understanding how such objects form.

NASA’s Backyard Worlds: Binaries project invites volunteers to help identify these rare systems by examining images from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, space telescope. In the images, brown dwarfs may appear as faint points of light moving across a field of otherwise stationary stars.

“We need your help to gain critical insights into these enigmatic cosmic objects,” project lead Aaron Meisner said.

Brown dwarfs are relatively common but difficult to study because they emit little light. In the solar neighborhood, there may be roughly one brown dwarf for every three or four stars. Scientists consider them important for understanding giant planets such as Jupiter and the processes that shape objects between planets and stars.

The project is designed for volunteers using a laptop or smartphone, and participation is not limited by citizenship.

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