Post by Al Degutis on Oct 2, 2005 8:28:36 GMT -6
Astronomers said on Saturday that they spotted a moon orbiting what they insisted to be the 10th planet of our solar system.
Mike Brown, an astronomer at the California Institute of Technology, said the the moon is so close to the planet "Xena" that all of the earth-based telescopes have completely missed it until now. Brown said his group had submitted a paper to the Astrophysical Journal to describe this finding.
In an article posted in his personal website, Brown said his group found the faint moon on Sep. 10 thanks to a new cutting-edgeimprovement of the instruments in the Keck Observatory in Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
Analyzing the new images, the astronomers said a small light point next to the planet "Xena" only could be a moon, Brown said.
In July, Brown announced the discovery of "Xena", or "2003 UB313", in the Kuiper belt, where most asteroids in solar system reside. It is by now the largest celestial object in Kuiper belt that astronomers have ever observed, according to Brown.
Since "2003 UB313" is larger than Pluto, the recognized 9th planet in solar system, it should be treated as the 10th planet, Brown suggested, but not all astronomers agreed with him. A panel of the International Astronomical Union is even preparing to modify the notion of planet.
Right now, the astronomers are not certain how big the moon is,but they guessed it is perhaps 350 kilometers in diameter, 8 timessmaller than planet "Xena", which is temporarily named after a warrior goddess in a TV series. And the moon is nicknamed "Gabrielle", a travel mate of Xena in the series.
Full Story: english.people.com.cn/200510/02/eng20051002_212146.html
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Mike Brown, an astronomer at the California Institute of Technology, said the the moon is so close to the planet "Xena" that all of the earth-based telescopes have completely missed it until now. Brown said his group had submitted a paper to the Astrophysical Journal to describe this finding.
In an article posted in his personal website, Brown said his group found the faint moon on Sep. 10 thanks to a new cutting-edgeimprovement of the instruments in the Keck Observatory in Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
Analyzing the new images, the astronomers said a small light point next to the planet "Xena" only could be a moon, Brown said.
In July, Brown announced the discovery of "Xena", or "2003 UB313", in the Kuiper belt, where most asteroids in solar system reside. It is by now the largest celestial object in Kuiper belt that astronomers have ever observed, according to Brown.
Since "2003 UB313" is larger than Pluto, the recognized 9th planet in solar system, it should be treated as the 10th planet, Brown suggested, but not all astronomers agreed with him. A panel of the International Astronomical Union is even preparing to modify the notion of planet.
Right now, the astronomers are not certain how big the moon is,but they guessed it is perhaps 350 kilometers in diameter, 8 timessmaller than planet "Xena", which is temporarily named after a warrior goddess in a TV series. And the moon is nicknamed "Gabrielle", a travel mate of Xena in the series.
Full Story: english.people.com.cn/200510/02/eng20051002_212146.html
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