Friday, July 29, 2005

Just in case you missed it:

Astronomers claim discovery of 10th planet

"The planet -- the farthest-known object in the solar system -- is currently 9 billion miles away from the sun, or about three times Pluto's current distance from the sun."

Remember Sedna? I don't think this will be the last planet we find lurking beyond Neptune.

What's playing:

1.) Green (R.E.M.)
2.) Chelsea Girl (Nico)
3.) Fear of Music (Talking Heads)
4.) Your Arsenal (Morrissey)
5.) Black Celebration (Depeche Mode)

7 comments:

Kyle said...

Heads(Talking), REM and Mode...sublime(not the band). :)

10 planets...and counting...is pretty sweet, too.

Kyle
UFOreflections.blogspot.com

W.M. Bear said...

I predict that there'll be a big astronomical brouhaha about whether to call it a "planet" or a "Kuiper Belt Object" (KBO). This controversy already swirls around Pluto, which, I'd argue, should be "grandfathered in" as a planet. We could then use the argument for making size the primary determinant. If a body orbiting the Sun is as big or bigger than Pluto, it's a planet. Smaller? KBO. Why? Just because being "Planet X" strikes me as a lot cooler than being just another KBO.

However they decide to categorize it, it would also be nice if they give a neat name.

W.M. Bear said...

We could then use the argument for making size the primary determinant. If a body orbiting the Sun is as big or bigger than Pluto, it's a planet.

And NOT orbiting a planet as a satellite (many of which are bigger than Pluto), of course. Simple!

Mac said...

"Black Celebration" just might be my favorite DM yet...

W.M. Bear said...

Informally, they're apparently calling it "Xena" after the "warrior princess" of TV fame. I guess part of the idea is to cleverly get an "X" in there for "Planet X."

stankan said...

At 9 billion miles, is the thing actually in orbit around the Sun, or just wandering in space?

Stan

W.M. Bear said...

They do apparently have a solar orbit for it. Right now, it's at aphelion, farthest away from the sun that it gets. Apparently, its very eccentric orbit takes it, at its closest point to the Sun, inside the orbit of Pluto, at least distance-wise.