Hubble’s Greatest Hits (Image 12): A Brown Dwarf Estimated To Be 5-10 Times The Mass Of Jupiter

– Hubble’s Greatest Hits (FOX News, Nov 7, 2012):

For over 20 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has explored our universe 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, supplying heavenly images of the universe. Here’s the best of the bunch.

Image 12 of 47

April 6: Hubble has discovered a planet-like object circling a brown dwarf, seen in this artist’s conception. It’s the right size for a planet, estimated to be 5-10 times the mass of Jupiter. This new observation addresses the question: How small can an object be and still be a brown dwarf rather than a planet? This new companion is within the range of masses observed for planets around stars — less than 15 Jupiter masses. But should it be called a planet?

Source: Gemini Observatory, courtesy of L. Cook