Virgil Showlion
Distinguished Associate
Moderator
[b]leones potest resistere[/b]
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 15:19:33 GMT -5
Posts: 27,448 
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 23, 2016 8:55:12 GMT -5
An interesting little article about a (very likely) 9th planet in our solar system with an unusual orbit: Scientists at CalTech claim to have found proof that there is a ninth planet in the solar system, using computer modeling and historical astronomy data.
The new planet has a mass about 10 times that of Earth and has a very eccentric path around our Sun, making one complete orbit every 10,000 or 20,000 years and travelling 200 times further from the Sun than our orbit. The planet hasn't been seen, but can be determined to exist based on its effect on objects in the Kuiper Belt that encircles our solar system.
"This would be a real ninth planet," said Mike Brown, the Richard and Barbara Rosenberg Professor of Planetary Astronomy at the California Institute of Technology. "There have only been two true planets discovered since ancient times, and this would be a third. It's a pretty substantial chunk of our solar system that's still out there to be found, which is pretty exciting."
 I vote for naming it Virgilius I, for no particular reason.  |
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Wisconsin Beth
Distinguished Associate
No, we don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we run.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 11:59:36 GMT -5
Posts: 30,626 
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Mar 23, 2016 9:09:49 GMT -5
Mike Brown is also the person rrdponsible for killing off Pluto as a planet.
Phil Plait had a couple of articles on this within the last couple of months, on Slate.com.
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wyouser
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 16:35:20 GMT -5
Posts: 12,126
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Post by wyouser on Mar 23, 2016 15:30:40 GMT -5
10,000 to 20,000 years? Hasn't been seen in recorded history? As long as it's not an interstellar black space leopard circling it's planetary prey.........  |
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Virgil Showlion
Distinguished Associate
Moderator
[b]leones potest resistere[/b]
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 15:19:33 GMT -5
Posts: 27,448
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 23, 2016 15:57:27 GMT -5
10,000 to 20,000 years? Hasn't been seen in recorded history? As long as it's not an interstellar black space leopard circling it's planetary prey......... "Black Space Leopard" sounds like the name of a heavy metal band.  |
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wyouser
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 16:35:20 GMT -5
Posts: 12,126
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Post by wyouser on Mar 23, 2016 16:06:33 GMT -5
10,000 to 20,000 years? Hasn't been seen in recorded history? As long as it's not an interstellar black space leopard circling it's planetary prey......... "Black Space Leopard" sounds like the name of a heavy metal band. Hey, somebody needs to come up with a name. Ummm...is there any money in this?? |
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