A Tall Drink of Noodles

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Space: Hubble finds “tenth planet”?

Posted on | October 17, 2009 | No Comments

Artist's concept of the Kuiper Belt Object nicknamed Xena, with moon GabrielleThere is an old saying, “In Space, no one can hear you scream.” Right now, I think the entire universe can hear me screaming the world’s loudest, “YES!”

We all know that there are 9, I mean 8 planets in our solar system. (Sorry Pluto…you’re just a Trans-Neptunian Object now.) In the past decade there have been some AMAZING discoveries about our local system that we reside within. Pluto not being a plent being one of them because of it’s odd orbit and diminutive size. But did you know there have been countless other “plutoids” as they are commonly referred to in our solar system?

One section that has been increasingly of greater and greater importance has been the Kuiper Belt.

The Kuiper Belt is a vast virtually empty area past the gaseous giant Neptune. Or at least we all thought. Since the Pluto’s discovery in the middle of 20th Century, many have wondered what else is out there. Well turns out…a hell of a lot of stuff.

As you can see in this image there have been more than a few “plutoids” discovered. (A plutiod is a planet like object that does not have it own unique orbit around the sun that is close to a complete circle. It has mass and gravity, but it is not large enough to be considered a “PLANET” by a strict definition that was deliniated a few years back, which unfortunately for Pluto, disqualified it as a “PLANET”.

Size of Kuiper Belt ObjectsWhat is interesting about these Trans-Neptunian Objects, or “plutoids” is that they do appear to be like full planets. One of the most recent discoveries has been of the TNO of “Xena”. (No not the Warrior Princess. lol) Xena is roughly half the size of the United States in diameter at an amazing 1,490 miles across. (give or take 60 miles or so.)  Oh yeah, it’s 10 BA BA BILLION miles away.

Pack your bags kids we’re going to “Xena” for the summer…of 2070. Probably would take that long to get out there at current propulsion capabilities.

Would we consider this TNO as a full fledge planet? Most likely not given that it’s lack of a substantial iron core and thus a weak electromagnetic gravitational pull. The Kuiper Belt is bizarre place where the average temperatures would most likely hover in the just above absolute zero area. The amount of light and heat from the sun at that range would never amount to much in regards to any sustainable life ever.

I always find this kind of discovery so completely amazing that I just have to post about it. Granted the article I am referring to was written a few years back. I find it fascinating now…and that is the important thing to me.

Life as we know it is something of a mystery and everyday I honestly wonder how is it possible that we exist against such improbable odds.

So you might be wondering shouldn’t the title be called, “The Ninth Planet, no for real this time.” I wonder that myself.

Here is the link to original article I was referring to: Planet Xena

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    • Artist, Painter, Sculptor, Metaphysical Thinker, Conceptualist, Technology Buff, All Around Apple Computer Connoisseur, Away-From-The-"Out-of-the-box" kind of mundane esoteric B.S. A True Maverick. Why did I just capitalize every word before this sentence. It is...Bizarro.

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