Is This Giant Celestial Body a Moon, a Planet or Something in Between? The Strange Object Calls Astronomical Labels Into Question

Is This Giant Celestial Body a Moon, a Planet or Something in Between? The Strange Object Calls Astronomical Labels Into Question The newly found object, estimated to be roughly as massive as Jupiter, orbits a brown dwarf—a “failed star”—which in turn circles a small star. For now, researchers are calling the puzzling body an “exosatellite” Sara Hashemi | Daily Correspondent July 24, 2026 1:14 p.m. ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source An artist's impression of the CD-35 2722 star system ESO / M. Kornmesser A newly discovered celestial object seems to blur the line between planet and moon, leaving some astronomers puzzled over what to call it.

…

Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Smithsonian Magazine.