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.

[Tax-chick]

Bill the Son says he’s going to Seattle to spend Christmas with Anoreth. “Put the information on the calendar,” I said.

This suggests he’s not excessively serious with the young girlfriend!

[Monkey Face]

...This suggests he’s not excessively serious with the young girlfriend!

Or perhaps he's testing the adage, "absence makes the heart grow fonder."

The bed is made, I've been to Wally's (unplanned today, but planned for tomorrow) and now I'm about ready to go out and wait for the peeps.

Zeke came into the clubhouse a little before 0500, so we had an unplanned meeting. It looks more and more like he is being the scapegoat for some under-the-table dealings by those in local power, and I told him it was probably time to contact the paper and the TV stations. He's smart, but he is naïve, when it comes to public housing.

It will all be out in the open soon, and that's the truth.

[ArGee]

2 words - cattle prod.

[ArGee]

Next on the agenda is to make my bed *unnngh* and then the day’s work will be over.

You should youtube that. I've never seen a bed *unnngh* before.

[ArGee]

I wish I could lose 30 lbs in one weigh-lifting workout.

[ArGee]

Or perhaps he's testing the adage, "absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Absence? ABSENCE? I always thought it was absinthe, which didn't necessarily make my heart grow fonder but did have all sorts of other interesting effects.

Come to think of it, Uncle Jim, who used to use that phrase a lot, had a lisp.

[Tax-chick]

LOL!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

If you look closely you see she is hiding behind Baby Groot.

[HKMk23]

Our newest denizen: Sammy

[Tax-chick]

Aw, that’s a fine looking cat! His claws remind me of my Jake.

[Tax-chick]

I thought it looked like a dismembered Shrubbery.

[HKMk23]

Eldest daughter expressing great hope to one day buy me out of my stake in "Dolly":




"Dolly" is a clean, decently restored '63 Chevy Impala 4-door Hardtop powered by a modern Vortec 350cid V-8 sporting a hot cam, gear drive, Edlebrock RPM intake, and positively prodigal Holly double-pump carburetor backed up by a TH350 transmission with a shift kit and a stall converter twisting a 3.55 rear end. Somewhere in the vicinity of 330hp (245kW) get to the pavement via a set of BF Goodrich Radial T/A's and four-wheel disc brakes keep it all from getting out-of-hand while headers and a minimalist dual exhaust provide the sonorous soundtrack.

[Tax-chick]

Is she saving her money?

[ColdOne]

Sweet ride!

[ColdOne]

Beautiful cat.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Baby Groot is what is left of a dismembered Shrubbery.

You haven't seen "Guardians of the Galaxy"?

I think you might like it. I was not sure about it when I heard the concept but it actually turned out good enough that I am looking forward to the next one.

[Monkey Face]

Wow. I had a ‘63 Chevy BelAir two-door, that I sadly, had to give up. This car of yours is a real beauty!

And your daughter? I hope you can consider yourself armed and dangerous when the beaux begin to call for her... ;o]

[Monkey Face]

The kitteh, Sammy, looks like he actually belongs where he is! He is beautiful!

[Covenantor]

[Tax-chick]

No, I haven’t seen it. The children have seen it; we had the DVD from Netflix. Also, Elen owns it, according to Pat, who is always looming over my shoulder.