# First exomoon candidate around brown dwarf CD‑35 2722 B

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/first-exomoon-candidate-around-brown-dwarf
> Updated: 2026-08-06T17:00:11.000Z. Sources: 54. Developments: 4.

Astronomers using ESO’s Very Large Telescope and the CRIRES+ spectrograph reported on 22 July 2026 a ~0.9 Jupiter‑mass object producing a 170‑day radial‑velocity signal around the brown dwarf CD‑35 2722 B, itself a companion to the red dwarf CD‑35 2722 A. Follow‑up data released on 24 July confirmed the periodic wobble and highlighted the need for additional measurements to verify the satellite’s nature. A brief on 27 July reiterated the detection as the most convincing exolune (exomoon) candidate to date and noted the broader interest sparked by ESA’s upcoming PLATO mission, which will search for transiting Earth‑size planets later in 2026.

The discovery challenges existing classification schemes for planets, moons and sub‑stellar objects, prompting the team to use the term “exosatellite.” Researchers stress that further spectroscopic monitoring is required to refine the companion’s mass and orbit and to determine whether it should be regarded as a massive moon or a planet‑like body.

On 6 August 2026 the team emphasized that next‑generation facilities such as the Extremely Large Telescope will enable searches for smaller exomoons and deeper studies of hierarchical three‑body systems, extending the significance of this first robust exomoon detection beyond the Solar System.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-06: First Exomoon Discovered Orbiting Brown Dwarf in CD-35 2722 System

Astronomers led by Kevin Hoy detected the first exomoon, Jupiter‑sized, orbiting a brown dwarf in CD‑35 2722 using VLT’s CRIRES+, marking a breakthrough in extrasolar moon research.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/first-exomoon-discovered-orbiting-brown-dwarf-in-cd-35-2722-system

### 2026-07-27: Exolune Detected Around Brown Dwarf CD‑35 2722 B and ESA’s PLATO Telescope Set for 2026 Launch

An exolune candidate orbiting brown dwarf CD‑35 2722 B was announced, and ESA’s PLATO telescope, featuring 26 cameras, is slated for launch in late 2026 to hunt Earth‑like exoplanets.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/exolune-detected-around-brown-dwarf-cd35-2722-b-and-esas-plato-telescope-set-for-2026-launch

### 2026-07-24: Astronomers Detect First Exomoon Candidate Orbiting Brown Dwarf CD-35 2722 B

Astronomers have found a 0.9‑Jupiter‑mass object orbiting brown dwarf CD‑35 2722 B with a 170‑day period, marking the first plausible exomoon detection and raising classification challenges.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/astronomers-spot-possible-first-exomoon-orbiting-a-brown-dwarf

### 2026-07-22: First exomoon candidate found orbiting brown dwarf in CD‑35 2722 system

Astronomers with ESO's VLT have identified a Jupiter‑mass object orbiting a brown dwarf in the CD‑35 2722 system, likely the first exomoon outside our Solar System.

43 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/exosatellite-orbiting-brown-dwarf-discovered-by-eso-team

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Cite as: First exomoon candidate around brown dwarf CD‑35 2722 B. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/first-exomoon-candidate-around-brown-dwarf