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July 29, 2005
Mysterious New Object Orbiting Sun--Zoinks!
Well, it's way out beyond the orbit of Pluto, but it is orbiting the sun, and it is pretty big, bigger than Pluto, even. The thing is, the question of whether or not Pluto is an actual planet remains controversial. So if this new thing is bigger than Pluto, you'd think that would mean it's a planet, too, right? I don't know. For all I know the Astrophysical Union who contemplate these pressing issues might be concerned about an object's mass, and possibly even its shape.
But then, how cool would it be (or perhaps not) if the new object proved to be something alien? This is the kind of thinking my brain defaults to. I can't help myself. And if you'd spent all your free time this past week going over galley proofs with a jeweller's loupe, maybe you'd be a bit twitchy, too.
By Dr David Whitehouse Science editor, BBC News websiteThe new object was discovered in the outer reaches of the Solar System
Astronomers have found a large object in the Solar System's outer reaches. It is being hailed as "a great discovery".Details of the object are still sketchy. It never comes closer to the Sun than Neptune and spends most of its time much further out than Pluto.
It is one of the largest objects ever found in the outer Solar System and is almost certainly made of ice and rock.
It is at least 1,500km (930 miles) across and may be larger than Pluto, which is 2,274km (1,400 miles) across.
Posted by adrian at July 29, 2005 08:19 PM
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