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Stellar classification
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====Class L==== {{see also|L dwarf}} [[File:L-dwarf-nasa-hurt.png|thumb|Artist's impression of an L-dwarf]] Class L dwarfs get their designation because they are cooler than M stars and L is the remaining letter alphabetically closest to M. Some of these objects have masses large enough to support hydrogen fusion and are therefore stars, but most are of [[substellar object|substellar]] mass and are therefore brown dwarfs. They are a very dark red in color and brightest in [[infrared]]. Their [[atmosphere]] is cool enough to allow [[metal hydride]]s and [[alkali metal]]s to be prominent in their spectra.<ref name="kirk_ARAA">{{cite journal |first1=J. Davy |last1=Kirkpatrick |first2=I. Neill |last2=Reid |first3=James |last3=Liebert |first4=Roc M. |last4=Cutri |first5=Brant |last5=Nelson |first6=Charles A. |last6=Beichman |first7=Conard C. |last7=Dahn |first8=David G. |last8=Monet |first9=John E. |last9=Gizis| first10 = Michael F. | last10 = Skrutskie |title=Dwarfs Cooler than M: the Definition of Spectral Type L Using Discovery from the 2-Β΅ ALL-SKY Survey (2MASS) |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=519 |issue=2 |pages=802β833 |date=10 July 1999 |doi=10.1086/307414 |bibcode=1999ApJ...519..802K|doi-access=free }} </ref><ref name="kirk_ApJ">{{cite journal |last=Kirkpatrick |first=J. Davy |title=New Spectral Types L and T |journal=[[Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics]] |volume=43 |issue=1 |pages=195β246 |date=2005 |doi=10.1146/annurev.astro.42.053102.134017 |bibcode=2005ARA&A..43..195K|s2cid=122318616 |url=https://authors.library.caltech.edu/868/1/KIRaraa05.pdf }} </ref><ref>{{Cite journal |doi=10.1086/499622 |title=Discovery of a Very Young Field L Dwarf, 2MASS J01415823β4633574 |year=2006 |last1=Kirkpatrick |first1=J. Davy |last2=Barman |first2=Travis S. |last3=Burgasser |first3=Adam J. |last4=McGovern |first4=Mark R. |last5=McLean |first5=Ian S. |last6=Tinney |first6=Christopher G. |last7=Lowrance |first7=Patrick J. |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=639 |issue=2 |pages=1120β1128 |arxiv=astro-ph/0511462 |bibcode=2006ApJ...639.1120K|s2cid=13075577 }}</ref> Due to low surface gravity in giant stars, [[Titanium monoxide|TiO]]- and [[Vanadium monoxide|VO]]-bearing condensates never form. Thus, L-type stars larger than dwarfs can never form in an isolated environment. However, it may be possible for these [[L-type supergiant]]s to form through stellar collisions, an example of which is [[V838 Monocerotis]] while in the height of its [[luminous red nova]] eruption.
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