|
|
Article: Brown dwarfs and red stars in focus
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- April 9, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1996 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
TOM WILKIE
Science Editor
Astronomers will today hear about the discovery of steam in the
emptiness of interstellar space, near a cool red giant star, and
new research that suggests so-called "brown dwarfs" - solid matter
that exists in a state between planet and star - may be plentiful
throughout the Universe.
The European Space Agency's Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) has
detected the distinctive "heat" from water vapour around the
pulsating variable star W Hydrae, 300 light years away from the
Earth, the UK National Astronomy Meeting in Liverpool will be told.
The vapour is also known to condense small, solid silicate
particles. The chemical identification of these particles will
help ...