WISE J0336−0143

Binary brown dwarf system in the constellation Eridanus

WISE J033605.05−014350.4
Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000
WISE J0336−0143 imaged by the James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam in two different filters
Constellation	Eridanus
Right ascension	03^h 36^m 05.052^s^[1]
Declination	−01° 43′ 50.48″^[1]
Characteristics
Spectral type	Y + Y Y0 (effective)
Apparent magnitude (J)	21.26±0.14^[2]^: 4
Apparent magnitude (H)	21.59±0.31^[2]^: 4
Apparent magnitude (K)	21.8±0.5 (est.)^[2]^: 5
Apparent magnitude (W1)	18.164±0.153
Apparent magnitude (W2)	14.664±0.023
Astrometry

Proper motion (μ)	RA: −251.5±0.9 mas/yr Dec.: −1,216.1±0.93 mas/yr
Parallax (π)	99.8 ± 2.1 mas^[3]
Distance	32.7 ± 0.7 ly (10.0 ± 0.2 pc)

Details^[4]^: 7
A
Mass	8.5–18 M_Jup
Temperature	415±20 K
B
Mass	5–11.5 M_Jup
Temperature	325+15 −10 K
Orbit^[4]^: 7
Primary	A
Companion	B
Period (P)	7±2 yr
Semi-major axis (a)	0.97+0.05 −0.09 AU (mean separation)
Other designations
WISEA J033605.04–014351.0, CWISE J033604.94−014358.5
Database references
SIMBAD	data

WISE J033605.05−014350.4, abbreviated to WISE J0336−0143 or W0336, is a binary system comprising two planetary-mass Y-type brown dwarfs tightly orbiting around their common center of mass. The system is located in the constellation Eridanus, about 33 light-years (10 parsecs) away from the Sun. It was discovered in images taken by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and formally published by Gregory N. Mace and collaborators in March 2013.^[5]^: 5^[6]^: 28 Astronomers suspected the brown dwarf was a binary system upon follow-up observations showing it had an unusual infrared spectrum,^[5]^: 22 but its binarity was not confirmed until the James Webb Space Telescope resolved the system's components in high-resolution NIRCam imaging in September 2022, with its results published in March 2023.^[4]

The two components orbit their system barycenter approximately every 7 years and are separated 0.97 astronomical units from each other, which is slightly less than the distance between the Sun and Earth. The brighter primary component has a temperature of 415 K and a mass within the range of 8.5–18 Jupiter masses, while the fainter secondary component has a temperature of 325 K and a mass range of 5–11.5 Jupiter masses. Because the binary system's age and evolutionary stage have not been determined yet, the individual components' masses are uncertain. Nevertheless, both components appear to have masses near the deuterium fusion threshold of 13 Jupiter masses, which marks the boundary between gas giant planets and brown dwarfs. The study of such low-mass binary systems will provide valuable insight into the formation and evolution of planetary-mass objects.^[4]

The secondary component WISE J0336−0143 B (305–340 K) might be one of the coldest objects in interstellar space discovered so far (as of September 2023^[update]). Newer models of Y dwarfs produce an even colder temperature of 285–305 K for WISE J0336−0143 B.^[7] WISE 0855−0714 remains the coldest object found so far with 225–260 K and WISEA 0830+2837 has a similar temperature with 300–350 K. Models suggest that WISE J0336−0143 B might have water clouds, but it is possible that changes in the pressure–temperature profile might instead explain the color of cold Y dwarfs.^[7]

Image gallery

Hubble Space Telescope WFC3/near-infrared image of W0336 and the stars and galaxies in the field of view.
Movement of W0336 in the Hubble images between January 2021 and October 2021.

References

^ ^a ^b "WISE J033605.05-014350.4 -- Brown Dwarf". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c Leggett, S. K.; Pascal, Tremblin; Philips, Mark W.; Dupuy, Trent J.; Marley, Mark; Morley, Caroline; et al. (September 2021). "Measuring and Replicating the 1-20 μm Energy Distributions of the Coldest Brown Dwarfs: Rotating, Turbulent, and Nonadiabatic Atmospheres". The Astrophysical Journal. 918 (1): 31. arXiv:2107.00696. Bibcode:2021ApJ...918...11L. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ac0cfe. 11.
^ Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Gelino, Christopher R.; Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Meisner, Aaron M.; Caselden, Dan; Schneider, Adam C.; et al. (March 2021). "The Field Substellar Mass Function Based on the Full-sky 20 pc Census of 525 L, T, and Y Dwarfs". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 253 (1): 85. arXiv:2303.16923. Bibcode:2021ApJS..253....7K. doi:10.3847/1538-4365/abd107. 7.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Calissendorff, Per; et al. (March 2023). "JWST/NIRCam discovery of the first Y+Y brown dwarf binary: WISE J033605.05−014350.4". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 947 (2): 8. arXiv:2303.16923. Bibcode:2023ApJ...947L..30C. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/acc86d.
^ ^a ^b Mace, Gregory N.; Gelino, Christopher R.; Cushing, Michael C.; Mace, Gregory N.; Griffith, Roger L.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; et al. (March 2013). "A Study of the Diverse T Dwarf Population Revealed by WISE". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement. 205 (1): 49. arXiv:1301.3913. Bibcode:2013ApJS..205....6M. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/205/1/6. 6.
^ Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Gelino, Christopher R.; Cushing, Michael C.; Mace, Gregory N.; Griffith, Roger L.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; et al. (July 2012). "Further Defining Spectral Type "Y" and Exploring the Low-mass End of the Field Brown Dwarf Mass Function". The Astrophysical Journal. 753 (2): 38. arXiv:1205.2122. Bibcode:2012ApJ...753..156K. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/2/156. 156.
^ ^a ^b Leggett, S. K.; Tremblin, Pascal (September 2023). "The First Y Dwarf Data From JWST Show That Dynamic and Diabatic Processes Regulate Cold Brown Dwarf Atmospheres". The Astrophysical Journal. 959 (2): 86. arXiv:2309.14567. Bibcode:2023ApJ...959...86L. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/acfdad.

External links

The First Y+Y Binary: Cool Brown Dwarfs Come in Pairs, Ben Cassese, AAS Nova, 28 April 2023
Y Dwarf Compendium – WISE 0336-0143

Constellation of Eridanus

Stars

Bayer	α (Achernar) β (Cursa) γ (Zaurak) δ (Rana) ε (Ran) ζ (Zibal) η (Azha) θ¹ (Acamar) θ² ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο¹ (Beid) ο² (40, Keid) π ρ¹ ρ² ρ³ τ¹ τ² (Angetenar) τ³ τ⁴ τ⁵ τ⁶ τ⁷ τ⁸ τ⁹ υ¹ υ² (Theemin) υ³ (Beemim) υ⁴ φ χ ψ ω
Flamsteed	14 15 17 (v) 39 (A) 45 51 (c) 53 (Sceptrum) 54 58 64 66
Variable	DO DZ EF EK EM (d) EP KT
HR	486 (p) 487 (p) 506 (q¹) 520 (q²) 789 (s) 859 1008 (e) 1106 (y) 1143 (h) 1189 (f) 1190 (f) 1195 (g) 1483 1536 1614
HD	19467 28185 30562 30963
Other	2MASS J04151954−0935066 DENIS 0255−4700 Gliese 86 Gliese 180 GJ 1062 GJ 3293 GJ 3323 HIP 12961 (Koeia) LTT 1445 LP 890-9 WASP-22 (Tojil) WASP-35 WASP-50 (Chaophraya) WASP-78 WASP-79 (Montuno) WISE J0336−0143

Exoplanets	51 Eridani b ε Eridani b (AEgir) Gliese 86 b HD 10647 b HD 28185 b HD 30562 b WASP-79b (Pollera)

Nebulae

NGC	1535

Galaxies

NGC	782 852 939 1084 1132 1140 1172 1187 1189 1190 1191 1192 1199 1222 1232 1234 1241 1253 1262 1266 1269 1291 1300 1309 1325 1332 1337 1345 1347 1353 1357 1369 1386 1395 1400 1403 1404 1407 1426 1427A 1436 1437 1439 1452 1460 1487 1531 1532 1592 1600 1614 1637 1721 1723 1725 1728 1741
Other	Eridanus II ESO 198-13 IC 1953 IC 2006 LEDA 74886 UGC 2812