<p>It is unlikely, unless they are extremely faint. The reason is that the cloud obviously does not absorb enough light to keep us from detecting remote red and brown dwarfs, and hence a closer star would also be detectable. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T15:40:15.413Z
2019-02-28T15:40:15.413Z
Anders Sandberg
<p>The Local Interstellar Cloud is supposed to be around 30 light years large. Is it possible that in this region there are stars which are undetected? I would have thought that it wasn't possible, but there are stars which are very small or are very close to another star. BTW, with star I mean an astronomical object which is performing fusion, because I've seen lists of smallest or coldest stars which includes brown dwarfs which don't perform fusion or white dwarfs. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-27T18:52:27.757Z
"There are known unknowns and then there are unknown unknowns."   In this case, it's not only possible but almost a dead certainty.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-27T19:52:41.090Z
Is there a blurry limit where you can be sure there arent undetected stars , due to gravitational forces effects, luminosity or whatever?
Pablo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-27T22:47:21.450Z
What is "the local interstellar cloud"?
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T00:45:31.940Z
According to a compatriot and colleague of yours,  a small low-density interstellar cloud where the sun is located https://www.centauri-dreams.org/2010/09/01/into-the-interstellar-void/
Pablo
<star>
Is it possible that in the Local Interstellar Cloud there are undetected stars?
Pablo
# Is it possible that in the Local Interstellar Cloud there are undetected stars?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-27)

The Local Interstellar Cloud is supposed to be around 30 light years large. Is it possible that in this region there are stars which are undetected? I would have thought that it wasn't possible, but there are stars which are very small or are very close to another star. BTW, with star I mean an astronomical object which is performing fusion, because I've seen lists of smallest or coldest stars which includes brown dwarfs which don't perform fusion or white dwarfs.

**Tags:** star

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: "There are known unknowns and then there are unknown unknowns."   In this case, it's not only possible but almost a dead certainty.  
> **username_0**: Is there a blurry limit where you can be sure there arent undetected stars , due to gravitational forces effects, luminosity or whatever?  
> **username_2**: What is "the local interstellar cloud"?  
> **username_0**: According to a compatriot and colleague of yours,  a small low-density interstellar cloud where the sun is located https://www.centauri-dreams.org/2010/09/01/into-the-interstellar-void/  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-02-28. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

It is unlikely, unless they are extremely faint. The reason is that the cloud obviously does not absorb enough light to keep us from detecting remote red and brown dwarfs, and hence a closer star would also be detectable.


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