What classification is given to stellar cores that accumulate mass but fail to ignite sustained hydrogen fusion, remaining below 0.08 solar masses?
Answer
Brown dwarfs
Not every collapsing core from a Giant Molecular Cloud succeeds in becoming a true star capable of self-sustaining energy production via fusion. If the initial mass of the collapsing core is insufficient—specifically falling below approximately 0.08 times the mass of our Sun—the core never achieves the extreme temperatures and pressures required to initiate the conversion of hydrogen into helium. Objects that fail to reach this crucial threshold are classified as brown dwarfs. They are often referred to as 'failed stars' because while they may briefly show some signs of deuterium fusion or gravitational contraction heat, they cannot maintain the stable luminosity characteristic of main-sequence stars.
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