We report the discovery of an unusually red brown dwarf found in a search for high proper motion objects using WISE and 2MASS data. WISEP J004701.06+680352.1 is moving at 0. ′′ 44 yr −1 and lies relatively close to the Galactic Plane (b = 5.2 • ). Near-infrared photometry and spectroscopy reveals that this is one of the reddest (2MASS J-K s = 2.55 ± 0.08 mag) field L dwarfs yet detected, making this object an important member of the class of unusually red L dwarfs. We discuss evidence for thick condensate clouds and speculate on the age of the object. Although models by different research groups agree that thick clouds can explain the red spectrum, they predict dramatically different effective temperatures, ranging from 1100K to 1600K. This brown dwarf is well suited for additional studies of extremely dusty substellar atmospheres because it is relatively bright (K s = 13.05 ± 0.03 mag), which should also contribute to an improved understanding of young gas-giant planets and the transition between L and T brown dwarfs.

We discover a late-type L dwarf, WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 (W0607+2429), by comparing the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) preliminary data release to the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) in search of high proper motion objects ( 0. ′′ 3 yr −1 ). W0607+2429 was found to have a proper motion of 0.57 ± 0. ′′ 02 yr −1 . Based on colors and color-color diagrams using 2MASS and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) photometry, we estimate the spectral type (optical) to be L8 within a spectral sub-type. Based on the spectral type estimated we find W0607+2429 to have a distance of 7.8 +1.4 −1.2 pc, making it one of only four very-late L dwarfs within 10 pc, and the third closest L dwarf overall. This close L/T transition dwarf will play a pivotal role in resolving outstanding issues of condensate clouds of low temperature atmospheres.

We discover four high proper motion L dwarfs by comparing the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) to the Two Micron All Sky Survey. WISE J140533.32+835030.5 is an L dwarf at the L/T transition with a proper motion of 0.85 ± 0. 02 yr −1 , previously overlooked due to its proximity to a bright star (V ≈ 12 mag). From optical spectroscopy we find a spectral type of L8, and from moderate-resolution J band spectroscopy we find a near-infrared spectral type of L9. We find WISE J140533.32+835030.5 to have a distance of 9.7 ± 1.7 pc, bringing the number of L dwarfs at the L/T transition within 10 pc from six to seven. WISE J040137.21+284951.7, WISE J040418.01+412735.6, and WISE J062442.37+662625.6 are all early L dwarfs within 25 pc, and were classified using optical and low-resolution near-infrared spectra. WISE J040418.01+412735.6 is an L2 pec (red) dwarf, a member of the class of unusually red L dwarfs. We use follow-up optical and low-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy to classify a previously discovered fifth object WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 as an (L8 Opt/L9 NIR), confirming it as an L dwarf at the L/T transition within 10 pc. WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 shows tentative CH 4 in the H band, possibly the result of unresolved binarity with an early T dwarf, a scenario not supported by binary spectral template fitting. If WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 is a single object, it represents the earliest onset of CH 4 in the H band of an L/T transition dwarf in the SpeX Library. As very late L dwarfs within 10 pc, WISE J140533.32+835030.5 and WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 will play a vital role in resolving outstanding issues at the L/T transition.

We report a nearby L7.5 dwarf discovered using the Preliminary Data Release of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and the Two Micron All Sky Survey. WISEP J180026.60+013453.1 has a motion of 0.42 arcsec yr −1 and an estimated distance of 8.8 ± 1.0 pc. With this distance, it currently ranks as the sixth closest known L dwarf, although a trigonometric parallax is needed to confirm this distance. It was previously overlooked because it lies near the Galactic plane (b = 12 • ). As a relatively bright and nearby late L dwarf with normal near-infrared colors, W1800+0134 will serve as a benchmark for studies of cloud-related phenomena in cool substellar atmospheres.

We report on a sequence of Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of the TW Hydrae brown dwarf (BD) 2MASSW J1139511-315921 (2M1139). In the combined 31 ks ACIS-S exposure, 2M1139 is detected at the 3σ confidence level. We find an X-ray luminosity of L X = 1.4 +2.7 −1.0 x 10 26 ergs s −1 or log L X /L bol = −4.8 ± 0.3. This object is similar to another TW Hydrae BD member, CD-33 7795B (TWA 5B): both have Hα emission, both show no signatures of accretion, and both have comparable ages and spectral types. TWA 5B was previously detected in X-rays with a luminosity of L X = 4 x 10 27 ergs s −1 or log L X /L bol = −3.4, an order of magnitude more luminous in X-rays than 2M1139. We find that the discrepancy between the X-ray luminosity of 2M1139 and TWA 5B is consistent with the spread in X-ray luminosity in the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) for BDs of similar spectral types. Though rotation may play a role in the X-ray activity of ultracool dwarfs like 2M1139 and TWA 5B, the discrepancy cannot be explained by rotation alone. We also examine two X-ray bright objects in the FOV of our Chandra observations and find one to be of spectral type K0IV and identify it as a possible RS Canum Venaticorum (RS CVn), and another Xray bright object whose light-curve clearly shows the decay phase of an X-ray flare.