New Dwarf Planet Discovered Far Beyond Pluto's Orbit

space.com ^ | 07/11/2016

[BenLurkin]

Pluto isn't quite as lonely as scientists had thought.

Astronomers have discovered another dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, the ring of icy objects beyond Neptune. But this newfound world, dubbed 2015 RR245, is much more distant than Pluto, orbiting the sun once every 700 Earth years, scientists said. (Pluto completes one lap around the sun every 248 Earth years.)

"The icy worlds beyond Neptune trace how the giant planets formed and then moved out from the sun," discovery team member Michele Bannister, of the University of Victoria in British Columbia, said in a statement. "They let us piece together the history of our solar system."

...

The exact size of 2015 RR245 is not yet known, but the researchers think it's about 435 miles (700 kilometers) wide. Pluto is the largest resident of the Kuiper Belt, with a diameter of 1,474 miles (2,371 km).

The research team first spotted 2015 RR245 in February of this year, while poring over images that the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in Hawaii took in September 2015 as part of the ongoing Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS).

"There it was on the screen — this dot of light moving so slowly that it had to be at least twice as far as Neptune from the sun," Bannister said.

[Monkey Face]

I can’t watch anything with bugs, including bugs. The older I get, the worse it is.

[Monkey Face]

W00t!

I envy you your vacation. Is it just for the weekend?

[moose07]

“Mint Hill”

Sounds refreshing, have a great time. :)

[Tax-chick]

Yes, just for the weekend. Mint Hill is a nearby suburb, very much like the place I live, except it’s in Mecklenburg County, so it has higher taxes but better water. It’s called Mint Hill because there used to be a state mint there, back when this was a big gold-mining area.

[Tax-chick]

Speaking of my vacation, I will not be able to post the Morning Kitteh from my phone on Saturday or Sunday. The list is at the top of my profile page, so please use it wisely to keep the kitteh tradition up!

[Monkey Face]

Will you be posting, or is this indeed, a “vacation?”

[Tax-chick]

I will likely post occasionally, during breaks from resting. That reminds me, I need to put my phone charger in my purse.

[Monkey Face]

I’ll leave the kitteh posting to those with better brain synapses than I have. ;o]

[Monkey Face]

Boy! What would you do without us? You seem to be remembering lots of things for your impending departure. When do you leave?

[ArGee]

Brain sin naps?????

[Tax-chick]

I’ll leave when Tom gets home with the car.

[Monkey Face]

Oh. Kay. Text me and let me know when you are settled in, please. ;o]

[Monkey Face]

I just sent you an email...:o])

[NoCmpromiz]

Our cats don’t bring us parts.

They bring us the entire critter.

And drop it on the bed as a gift.

Still alive.

At 3AM.

We are so blessed.. ;-)

[NoCmpromiz]

Correct. Never see this in a pack of bacon..

[ArGee]

It iz nice to be wuved.

[moose07]

Hmm, I can see how that could be a little inconvenient at times.... :)

[moose07]

Three sources of cuteness loaded into main magazine....
On standby for 06:00h deployment. :)

[NoCmpromiz]

And this visual oxymoron.. ;-)

[ArGee]

Back in the day I used to see the No Outlet signs and imagine an electric car looking for a charge.

These days I imagine someone with a dead phone.