Free Astronomy Magazine November-December 2025

20 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2025 ASTRO PUBLISHING dwarfs and others previously seen only in cool, ancient ones. The Acci- dent’s properties are highly unusual compared to all other known stars and brown dwarfs, so it slipped past typical detection methods. It was discovered accidentally in 2020 by a citizen scientist participating in the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen sci- ence project. Its strange light profile piqued the interest of astronomers, so they turned to two of the world’s most powerful ground- and space- based telescopes to peer into its at- mosphere and better understand its nature and composition. The investigation began with NSF NOIRLab astronomer Sandy Leggett obtaining near-infrared images of The Accident using the Gemini South Elusive cloud-forming chemical on ancient brown dwarf by NOIRLab Josie Fenske B rown dwarfs are peculiar ob- jects that are too massive to be considered planets, but not massive enough to sustain nuclear fusion like a star. Among this curious class of objects, a brown dwarf nick- named The Accident stands out for its unique mix of physical features, exhibiting characteristics previously seen only in warm, young brown