Friday, February 15, 2013

Faint Radio Signals Reveal Secrets of Failed Stars

Failed stars can emit detectable radio waves at much cooler temperatures than previously expected, according to new research.The discovery could help astronomers understand how these so-called "brown dwarfs" generate a magnetic field. Some scientists think a faster rotation makes the magnetic field stronger.  "We don’t really understand what [the magnetic fields] are shaped like, or whether they're steady, or come and go," said Peter Williams,...