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A possible brown dwarf companion to Gliese 569A faint cool companion to Gliese 569, discovered during an IR imaging survey of nearby stars, may be the lowest-mass stellar object yet found. The companion is somewhat cooler in its 1.65-3.75-micron energy distribution than the coolest known main-sequence stars, indicating a low mass. Despite its lower temperature, it is more luminous than similar extremely low-mass stars, suggesting that it is either a young low-mass star evolving toward the main sequence or a cooling substellar brown dwarf. The primary star has emission lines and a low space velocity and exhibits flaring, all of which imply youth for this system. Observations of Gliese 569 and its companion over a period of 2 yr confirm the common proper motion expected of a true binary. The 5-arcsec apparent separation (50 AU) implies an orbital period of roughly 500 yr, which will permit an eventual direct determination of the mass of the companion.
Document ID
19880058922
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Forrest, W. J.
(Rochester Univ. NY, United States)
Shure, Mark
(Rochester, University; C. E. K. Mees Observatory, NY, United States)
Skrutskie, M. F.
(Cornell University Ithaca, NY, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
July 15, 1988
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 2 - Letters
Volume: 330
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astronomy
Accession Number
88A46149
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-84-03054
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-86-15631
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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