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New Pluto-Sized Object Discovered In Solar System
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 11:28 am
by Avatar
National Geographic Article
The object, designated 2003 EL61, is about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) across, according to Mike Brown, an astronomer at the California Institute of Technology, who led the U.S-based team. The team announced its discovery today.
The object also has a moon.
2003 EL61 and its satellite are located in the Kuiper belt, a region beyond Neptune that includes Pluto and the recently discovered large planet-like objects Quaoar and Orcus...
...The astronomers are classifying the newly discovered object as a "scattered Kuiper belt object."
What gets me, which I hope some astronomically inclined Member can answer, is why it's
not considered a planet? It has a fixed orbit, is about the size of Pluto, and has a moon. Why not a planet?
--A
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 11:49 am
by I'm Murrin
Because no-ones even sure if Pluto should be classed as a planet. It fits better as a 'large kuiper belt object'.
FYI, there were three large kuiper objects discovered recently. One of the others, 2003 UB313, which is larger than Pluto and three times further from the sun, is the largest object yet discovered in the Kuiper belt.
www.newscientistspace.com/
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:02 pm
by Avatar
Thanks.
So essentially, Pluto should be downgraded?
What difference does it make? What are the "criteria" as it were, for "planets"? Does it have something to do with being part of said belt? (In that "planets" should be "free-standing"? (lots of " " aren't there?
) )
And are these the ones you were talking about?
the recently discovered large planet-like objects Quaoar and Orcus...
--A
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:10 pm
by Loredoctor
I think it should be classed as a planetoid.
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:14 pm
by Avatar
Pluto? Or the others?
Precision LoreMaster, Precision. You of all people should appreciate that.
--A
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 2:36 pm
by Lord Mhoram
There was some sort of movement to downgrade Pluto, but the international astronomical community put it down, pretty much. The consensus was that if anything in the solar system was discovered that was any bigger, it would be also classified as a planet.
This new one will be called either Setna or Xena (?) or some such thing last time I heard.
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 3:47 pm
by aTOMiC
I happen to agree with those that prefer to leave Pluto classified as a planet. There was some debate back when Sedna was first discovered. I wondered if a similarly sized object to Pluto couldn't also be designated as a planet. The fact that there are apparently many as yet undiscovered "large kuiper belt objects" that are going to be cataloged in the near future means the debate will probably not end here. Imagine if it turns out that there is a "Gas Giant" sized object found in the belt. How do you classify that as other than a planet? Time will tell.
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 8:54 pm
by matrixman
I'm content with whatever astronomers deign to call Pluto. Might be a tad silly to "downgrade" Pluto after all these years of acknowledging it as a planet, but I won't lose sleep over it if they ever do. Heh, poor Pluto gets no respect.
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:05 pm
by dlbpharmd
I say this planet should be named "Goofy."
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:11 pm
by Loredoctor
Avatar wrote:Pluto? Or the others?
Precision LoreMaster, Precision. You of all people should appreciate that.
--A
I've noticed of late that you seem to be on my back about my posts.
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:16 pm
by aTOMiC
dlbpharmd wrote:I say this planet should be named "Goofy."
Goofy? The Roman god of ambiguous species cartoon characters?
Why not Homer? "Mmmmmmmm planety goodness...mmmmm......"
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 6:08 am
by Avatar
The very next day...
New Planet
A chunk of rock and ice that may be a planet has been discovered in the farthest reaches of the solar system, astronomers announced Friday. The object, currently called 2003 UB313, orbits the sun and is larger than Pluto, traditionally considered the ninth planet in the solar system.
The news came hot on the heels of the announcement of the discovery of a separate planet-like object at the edge of the solar system (see "New Pluto-Size Object Discovered in Solar System")—and amid fears that a rogue astronomer may been attempting to announce the UB313 discovery as his or her own.
And sorry LoreMaster, just teasing you, you know. (I'm ashamed to admit I derive some pleasure from it. But you're in distinguished company with MatrixMan you know.
)
--A
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 6:47 am
by matrixman
Y'know, I was just gonna say that Avatar gets on
everyone's backs about their posts. It's his mission in life.
As for the, uh, tenth planet, I think aTOMiC should have first crack at naming it, since he called it in his post. Way to go, TOM!!
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 7:02 am
by Avatar
One of my missions, certainly.
And especially to those whose posts make, in my humble opinion, a valuable contribution to our discussions.
--A
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 10:25 am
by I'm Murrin
Avatar wrote: The very next day...
New Planet
A chunk of rock and ice that may be a planet has been discovered in the farthest reaches of the solar system, astronomers announced Friday. The object, currently called 2003 UB313, orbits the sun and is larger than Pluto, traditionally considered the ninth planet in the solar system.
The news came hot on the heels of the announcement of the discovery of a separate planet-like object at the edge of the solar system (see "New Pluto-Size Object Discovered in Solar System")—and amid fears that a rogue astronomer may been attempting to announce the UB313 discovery as his or her own.
Yeah, that's the one I meant. The people who announced that one had also found the first one mentioned here and one other, but both are smaller than UB313. Apparently they had intended to find out more about them before announcing the discovery, but then another group went and announced the discovery of 2003 EL61.
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 10:33 am
by Avatar
Seems like evrything is either getting bigger, (the universe) or smaller, (Earth).
--A
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:26 pm
by [Syl]
news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article302743.ece
Dr Brown and his team have christened it Xena, after the warrior princess in the old television series, "... because we always wanted to name something Xena". But the formal decision on a name will be made by the International Astronomical Union.
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 2:07 pm
by dlbpharmd
Let's stick with established mythological names, shall we?
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 3:11 pm
by aTOMiC
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 6:09 pm
by [Syl]
Fine. Call it Sylvanus.