{
  "id": 15621820,
  "title": "'They're kind of goth': NASA spacecraft gives mysterious brown dwarfs a close-up",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/theyre-kind-of-goth-nasa-spacecraft-gives-mysterious-brown-dwarfs-a",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-19T15:06:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Space.com",
    "slug": "space-com",
    "url": "https://www.space.com/astronomy/stars/theyre-kind-of-goth-nasa-spacecraft-gives-mysterious-brown-dwarfs-a-close-up"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "NASA's SPHEREx spacecraft has captured a close-up look at mysterious brown dwarfs, often referred to as \"failed stars.\" These cosmic bodies, ranging in mass from 13 to 80 times that of Jupiter, form like stars but lack the mass to ignite hydrogen fusion in their cores, leading to their designation as failed stars. The SPHEREx spacecraft, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer, has allowed astronomers to study the atmospheres of these enigmatic objects in unprecedented detail. Brown dwarfs are chemically rich, containing water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane, which have been observed by SPHEREx. Lead researcher Zafar Rustamkulov describes these objects as \"kind of goth,\" highlighting their dark and cloudy atmospheres. Unlike exoplanets, brown dwarfs are independent celestial objects that will inevitably fade away alone. SPHEREx's unique view, which includes wavelengths difficult to observe from Earth due to atmospheric absorption, has allowed scientists to gather vital data on the composition, storms, and evolution of brown dwarfs, shedding light on these previously elusive cosmic entities.",
  "summary": "Using NASA’s SPHEREx spacecraft, astronomers have studied a horde of mysterious \"failed stars,\" or brown dwarfs, not-so-stellar loners that wander the darkness of space alone.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}