Astronomers find possible Jupiter-mass moon orbiting a brown dwarf
Researchers using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope report evidence of an object at least as massive as Jupiter orbiting a brown dwarf in the CD-35 2722 system. The study, published in Nature, describes it as a possible first exosatellite, though the object’s mass and unusual orbit complicate whether it should be called a moon or a planet.
Bottom line — The candidate is at least as massive as Jupiter; confirmation would establish the first detected exosatellite.
Go deeper 5
-
The brown dwarf is more than 30 times as massive as Jupiter, according to the study.
-
The team used the CRIRES+ instrument and the radial velocity method, measuring changes in the brown dwarf’s motion.
-
Astronomers have identified more than 6,000 exoplanets, but no exomoon has been confirmed conclusively, the reports say.
-
A separate team led by Quentin Kral reported possible satellite signs in the HD 206893 system earlier in 2026; those observations were not definitive.
-
The European Southern Observatory’s planned Extremely Large Telescope, with a 39-metre mirror, is expected to aid searches for smaller exomoons.