}

Twins yes, but different

2006/01/12 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

This image has been taken with telescope by astronomer Michael Liu of the University of Hawaii. It is true that he has used the world's largest telescope to obtain the image, Mauna Ke's Keck II telescope, but it is surprising. Why? Because the two bodies that appear there are brown dwarfs and, being so small, it is very difficult to see the brown dwarfs with a telescope.

Brown dwarfs are larger than Jupiter, but much smaller than the Sun and do not have enough pressure to have a nuclear fusion inside. Astronomers believe that they often appear in pairs.

In this case they are also, two together. However, they are not exactly the same: one with reddish shine and another bluish. According to Liu, although both emerged at once, one is smaller than the other, so it has cooled faster. That's why it has blue color.

In fact, it has been calculated that the atmospheric temperature of the largest brown dwarf is about 1,200°C and iron particles are believed to form clouds at that temperature. It is what gives reddish color to the atmosphere. On the contrary, it has been calculated that the atmospheric temperature of the other brown dwarf is about 200ºC lower, which causes the dispersion of clouds of iron particles. The atmosphere is therefore clean.