Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

SoylentNews is powered by your submissions, so send in your scoop. Only 18 submissions in the queue.

New Horizons Target 2014 MU69 May be a "Contact Binary"

posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday August 09 2017, @07:41PM   Printer-friendly
from the or-just-an-extreme-prolate-spheroid dept.

takyon writes:

2014 MU69, which New Horizons will fly by on January 1, 2019, appears to have an elongated shape or may be comprised of two objects:

Based on the occultation data, 2014 MU69 definitely appears to have an odd shape. In a press release, NASA officials said that it's either football shaped or a type of object called a contact binary. The size of MU69 or its components also can be determined from these data. It appears to be no more than 20 miles (30 km) long, or, if a binary, each about 9-12 miles (15-20 km) in diameter.

By comparison, Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko consists of a large lobe measuring about 4.1 × 3.3 × 1.8 km and a small lobe of about 2.6 × 2.3 × 1.8 km.

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
New Horizons Target 2014 MU69 May be a "Contact Binary" | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 10 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 2) by Arik on Wednesday August 09 2017, @10:25PM

    by Arik (4543) on Wednesday August 09 2017, @10:25PM (#551333) Journal
    You don't think contact binaries can be formed from dirty snowballs?
    --
    If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   2