skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1560_1.asp
www.space.com/scienceastronomy/050729_new_planet.html
The temporary name given to it is 2003 UB313. The lower limit, as determined by reflectiveness, puts the object as large as Pluto. The Spitzer Space Telescope couldn't detect it, meaning it can't be 3000km across.
Then I say that the planethood of Pluto cease as well. Seriously.
Wow nice find. Thanks for posting this too, DarkMessiah. Hoping to be a future astronomer this really keeps me up to date since losing the Discovery Science Channel.
I'd heard about this! Exciting stuff.
I've had an interest in outer space since I was a little kid and I always love hearing about new discoveries.
Pretty cool, if I may say so.
But we can't lose Pluto. No, that won't do. Tne planets would be pretty cool, to be honest. 🙂
Heh, I remember when me and Zifei (SHQ's founder) got into heated arguments over whether Pluto was a planet a few years back.
Me, I don't care about astronomical semantics and jargon. I'm just really excited to hear about this new planet.. type... thing. 🙂 It's comforting to know that we're expanding the boundaries of knowledge almost constantly.
Ah, they've been discovering the tenth planet for hundreds of years. When are they going to just choose one and get it over with?
Oh, and they can't "give" it planethood if they can't prove it orbits the sun. I'm guessing that's what they'll be doing if they're serious about this thing.
I heard about this ages ago.
Honestly, there are asteroids in the asteroid belt larger than Pluto. But we don't call them planets.
But...if we lose Pluto, then what will happen to beloved Mickey? ;_;
XD! I remember awhile ago there was some question about Charon. Many were wondering if it was a moon. Anywho I still find this to be an interesting find. Although 51 Pegasus still amazes me, the most out of anything ever. 
o.o
What? I thought we had 9 planets. Do we have more or something?
Someone enlighten me, please? n.N
*slaps Dad* You are so dense. ^^
*dies forever*
Looks like they need to figure out exactly what constitutes a "planet" first.
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Then I say that the planethood of Pluto cease as well. Seriously.
For those who love having Pluto as the ninth planet, trust me: Pluto will stay as a planet. For those who don't, go screw a ** sounds of a horn sound, thus muting the very explicit word being mentioned **
It's Rupert!
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Looks like they need to figure out exactly what constitutes a "planet" first.
Like I said earlier...
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Oh, and they can't "give" it planethood if they can't prove it orbits the sun. I'm guessing that's what they'll be doing if they're serious about this thing.
NOBODY LISTENS 2 ME
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Oh, and they can't "give" it planethood if they can't prove it orbits the sun. I'm guessing that's what they'll be doing if they're serious about this thing.
Given that both articles have said the object has an eccentric orbit, I'll say they have proven it to a degree. (Really more of a prediction.)
It could be eccentrically orbitting Jupiter or something, which would make it a satellite. If it goes round the sun, we have found Planet X.
One of the telescopes used to analyze the newly discovered object is the Spitzer Space Telescope which detects infrared emissions from the objects. I'm sure it can detect Jupiter and its satellites. The space telescope couldn't detect the "tenth planet", so it can't be a satellite of Jupiter.
I did say "...or something".
Y'know...I WOULD prefer Pluto stay a planet. >>; And I'd like there to be ten planets, too, but then I'm weird it seems...
*Resists urge to sing Sonic X theme with altered lyrics*
Planet X... that sounds like a thing from a bad sci-fi anim.
On a serious note, I think if they do find a tenth planet in our solar system it'd be awfully interesting.
~LightStrike!
I heard about this. I have mixed feelings on it.
I did a report about the Kuiper Belt objects, and I mean, a god majority of them do revolve around the sun in orbits that makes Pluto's eccentricity look like the Earth's Orbit currently. A good majority of them are somewhat near Charon size, but there are a few that exceed Pluto's range in terms of diameter. The thing is, they're FARTHER away than Pluto. So what do we want to call them? Do we want to give out space system {Cause at that far away, all you really have is frosty balls floating around, no solar no solar} a limit or something?
Putting aside the meaning of a planet argument, I focus more on that-how far are we willing to go. I mean, Harley stated that there are asteriods bigger than Pluto between Mars and Jupiter, yet they are not planets. This is true but I think a prerequisite for a *satellite* is that it needs to have some form of an atmospheric content {I believe Pluto has a very thin one of like methane due to the rare gaseous emissions} Most of the Asteriods don't have one at all, they're too battered.
Pluto's gonna stay a planet, it's one of those semi-booboo's that make you go "Well crap, can't change it now without pissing people off."
So, yay for new Kuiper belt object. Boo for reviving the dang Dual-system-planet-Moon Pluto legitimacy argument.
::Kicks the damn rock away.::
....And Mickey is just going to have to GO TO THE POUND AND GET A NEW DANG DOG!
Well if they can call tiny asteroids that orbit some planets 'moons' then I dont see why they cannot call this new object a 'planet'.
