Astronomers find Jupiter-like cloud bands on closest brown dwarf

WASHINGTON: A team of astronomers has discovered that the closest known brown dwarf, Luhman 16A, shows signs of cloud bands similar to those seen on Jupiter and Saturn. This is the first time scientists have used the technique of polarimetry to determine the properties of atmospheric clouds outside of the solar system or exoclouds. Brown dwarfs are objects heavier than planets but lighter than stars and typically have 13 to 80 times the mass of Jupiter. Luhman 16A is part of a binary system containing a second brown dwarf, Luhman 16B. At a distance of 6.5 light-years, it is the third closest system to our Sun after Alpha Centauri and Barnard's Star. Both brown dwarfs weigh about 30 times as...