The XMEN Clan Forums

Hundreds of years ago observers believed in planets far beyond that of the ones they saw. Later mathamatical scientist determined an unknown force pulling the outer Gas Giants out of the predicted orbits. Now that unknown force has a picture.

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/sol ... 72905.html

The world in estimated to be off the orbital plane by 45 degrees which would explain why it has not been seen before. It also sits a distance of 96 million miles away from the sun (if I remember the information correctly).

Currently it is in debate if it should even be considered a planet. Many say that Pluto shouldn't even be considered a planet. This new world is larger than Pluto but many times farther out. So do you think this new discovery should be called a planet or begin a new class of celestrial bodies to label it?

Erm, EARTH is 90-96 million miles from the sun. This object would be considerably farther away.

If it's that big, it should probably be classified as a planet. Pluto probably shouldn't have been, but I don't want to take that designation away from it.

Ok, it must have been billion instead of million. Basicly it would just be better if they just stated it in AU's.

The planet is a typical member of the Kuiper belt, but its sheer size in relation to the nine known planets means that it can only be classified as a planet, Brown said. Currently about 97 times further from the sun than the Earth, the planet is the farthest-known object in the solar system, and the third brightest of the Kuiper belt objects.

It says "97 times further" so about 9 billion miles from the sun? Seems like a long way to me...

How about 97 AUs?

97AUs is correct. ANd it shouldn't be considered a planet (neither should Pluto). We already have a wonderful category for these, as well as Orcus, Sedna and Quaoar, and others discovered - Kuiper Belt Objects. When Senda and Quaoar were discovered a few years ago, the newspapers were all "Tenth Planet!!! TENETH PLANET!!!" but that's blown over. So UB313 is bigger than Pluto, that shouldn't make it a planet (that should downgrade Pluto).

Also, while Neptune was successfully predicted - and discovered - based on something pulling on Uranus, modern measurements do not require another gas giant beyond Neptune to explain its orbit. Another planet is not expected, required, or is very likely to be found (but you never know). This new object discovered is far too small and far out to be any mysterious "Planet X" once sought.


And hey all!!!

I actually tried sitting here and coming up with a Uranus joke... for about five minutes. Heh.

Welcome back, Red!

Red!!!! Welcome back bud!!!

Asha, re: joke ---

"Ain't nothin' pullin' on MY anus!"

Only makes sense if read at appropriate point in the article.


Red: Indeed, good to see you again! The XMEN Mind Control Device(TM)'s batteries need changing again, I guess...

Uranus? *shakes head* What you really need is to sift through the archives at my instituted of failed comedy.

That might work.

In any case, interesting post.

Hey, I think I got some tickets for your institute in the mail, Ath. Didn't realize it was you (no mumu or topknot in the picture), so I tossed 'em. Sorry.


Good to see you here! You playing any games these days?

Games? Not really.. I saw Sin City last night and that made me throw in Max Payne 2... but aside from that and the occasional GTA: San Andreas, I don't really play much. I was playing Civ III for a bit. I just don't have the time to sit at a game for more than 1/2 hour at a time.

I've moved to New Jersey.. and I'm working in a hospital now doing a residency for the year. I live just outside NYC so I go into the city every chance I get.

How about you guys.. what are you up to these days?

Mo.

See my "gentoo adventures" post in the tech forum. That's most of what I did this weekend.

Even though they are still debating if this is a planet or not they have found a moon for it.

http://space.com/scienceastronomy/ap_05 ... wmoon.html

The object is called Xena and the moon is called Gabrielle. Their orbit is 3 times that of Pluto, or 9 billion miles away from the sun, in the region know as the Kuiper Belt.

Somebody is a Lucy Lawless fan!