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Australian National University reports:
Astronomers from The Australian National University (ANU) are investigating four unknown objects that could be candidates for a new planet in our Solar System, following the launch of their planetary search on the BBC's Stargazing Live broadcast from the ANU Siding Spring Observatory.
Lead researcher Dr Brad Tucker said about 60,000 people from around the world had classified over four million objects in space as part of the ANU-led citizen search for the so-called Planet 9.
"We've detected minor planets Chiron and Comacina, which demonstrates the approach we're taking could find Planet 9 if it's there," said Dr Tucker from the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics.
...
"We've managed to rule out a planet about the size of Neptune being in about 90 per cent of the southern sky out to a depth of about 350 times the distance the Earth is from the Sun," he said.
takyon: Estimates of Planet Nine's size put it at as little as half the radius of Neptune. The likely colder temperature of such a planet could result in a higher density.
The article mentions 2060 Chiron and 489 Comacina.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday April 01 2017, @02:52AM (2 children)
We're going to have to accept dozens of other planets, like Eris and Sedna, if we accept Pluto into the club. I've got no problem with that, but I also don't care if they get labeled dwarf planets forever. If that affects funding for missions to those places... well that's just pretty fucking sad isn't it?
Meanwhile the proposal for a definition that allows moons to be planets [soylentnews.org] is so dumb. You can make a definition that allows Eris, Sedna, Pluto, etc. to be planets without making Charon, the Moon, Enceladus, Ganymede, et al. planets. I can't even.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by charon on Saturday April 01 2017, @03:12AM (1 child)
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday April 01 2017, @03:27AM
Have you cleared your orbit?
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]