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.

[Daffynition]

Garters can show a lot of *courage* for their size

[NoCmpromiz]

And sometimes they disguise themselves as raspberries...

[Tax-chick]

Today's kitten lives in Brazil.

[Daffynition]

A couple of times a week, our farm cat would bring home a present to the back door; sadly, often they were too badly injured to survive kitty's *playtime*

[Tax-chick]

Catz just can’t help it.

[Daffynition]

And some dogs ;)

[j. earl carter]

https://youtu.be/tTNuldPhP20?list=PLSkxid509XN8QRiBoPrpLkjYSSBo_ukP1

Your comment reminded me that Douglas Adams always claimed that the radio program and TV series were better than the books.

I haven’t seen the TV series since the early 80’s (probably about the time it first ran on PBS).

[Monkey Face]

What a pretty little floof!

Good morning, all!

Another day and I’m not ready for it. Again. I was pretty worn out yesterday, but I managed to keep going until bedtime. Thank goodness today won’t be a repeat.

Nothing about yesterday was normal, so I’m glad it’s yesterday. :o|

I’m so glad to have today so I can start all over and have my efforts pay off!

And now, I’m off to Walmart for a few badly needed things.

[Tax-chick]

Good morning. I’m having the usual difficulties getting the youth participants moving. Shannon is driving the birds insane by sitting outside under a tree.

[null and void]

Out of sight, out of mind. —> Russian —> English: Invisible insanity.

[Monkey Face]

Hey! I just noticed: Friday the 13th fell on Tuesday this month! Wow!

[null and void]

When an eel lunges out,
and bite off your snout,
that's a moray!

If screens are askew,
that pattern you view,
that's a moiré!

With a facial tattoo,
beat the British it's true,
that's a Māori!

The cultural view
of-a what you can do
that's a mores

[Monkey Face]

*groan*

Don’t you have some unpacking to do?

[Tax-chick]

That’s what I have, invisible insanity. Maybe if I had visible insanity, somebody would do something.

[ArGee]

[ArGee]

When the moon hits your eye
Like a big pizza pie
That’s one rude, obnoxious moon.

[ArGee]

You have kids.

Everyone’s going to shake their heads, blame the kids, and ignore you.

[Monkey Face]

Yes, yes indeed, that is very truthful.

;o])

[Monkey Face]

You guys have been reading too much “Mad Magazine.”

I used to love that mag and read each issue from cover to cover before I could put it down. And all the parodies of songs were memorized. ;o]

[Monkey Face]

What?