Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/08/08/study-failed-star-is-actually.html
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I don’t understand this grey area…
How? As far as I was aware, there’s a sharp line - it’s a planet until fusion happens, isn’t it? Why would there be an edge to the category before that?
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The debate might be that it’s not orbiting a star or other star-like thing. Planets gravitationally dominate (e.g., “clear”) orbits, but if it’s not in an orbit, that whole definition starts to weaken.
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I just figured a planet should be big enough to be round, but not so big it starts crushing its atoms.
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I’m interested in why it was thought that Brown Dwarfs wouldn’t emit radio waves? Jupiter has it Jovian Decametric Radio Emissions* (Hipster Band Name), so, I would assume that something even larger would be beaming out signals like a Mexican Radio Transmitter.
*Apparently caused by particles at the equator travelling at close to the speed of light (Scream if you want to go faster, kids). How cool is that?!
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I thought the same. Why would’nt it emit radio waves? Siily astrophysicists.
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Yeah, I mean, its not exactly rocket science… not exactly.
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Here’s a good overview of the debate:
https://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.2947658
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I wonder how many moons it has? (Or would that make them failed planets?)
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Lke this?
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Exactly like that 
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rogue planet
Isn’t that Earth?
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I’m still waiting for the United Space Peace Keeping Force to turn up. I mean, their trade embargo just isn’t working.
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… failed star is actually a rogue planet…"
Hey, I know Shia LaBeouf has been acting a trifle strange and packing on a few extra pounds these days, but there’s no need to call him a “rogue planet”!
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This is from 2001, so fifteen years out of date,but
Real stars fuse ordinary hydrogen, but substars can fuse deuterium or lithium. (Uninhabited) planets don’t fuse either element
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… I was actually waiting for a ‘your MOM’ style joke or quip, but this will do. (also, you owe me a new monitor and a drink.) 
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There’s a failed star behind every successful planet.
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Doesn’t anybody care what the planet thinks when you call it a failed star? 
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