Posted on 07/12/2016 8:03:24 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
Merry Christmas, Moose07!
It’s a hot-pink beeber-like-device of some sort. Who would have such a thing, except to warm a kitten’s tootsies?
Wow. In before the kitteh!!
No, kitteh was 7099.
We’re off to the gym.
While I was composing my post, the kitteh appeared as if by magic!
Please remind me never to visit my son and his perfect wife for more than two days. I’ve spent more time alone than I bargained for. I could have stayed home and enjoyed myself more.
I could go on down the list but it’s Christmas and I want to try and remember the Reason for the season. And now, I’m going to go plug my phone in and wish this migraine would go away.
Back from the gym. We’re trying to sort out who is going to Mass when. The boys are supposed to be cleaning up their room. Even Elen noticed it smells horrible in there, and she cleans up from waterfowl.
The Magic Christmas Kitteh.....there’s a thought.
The Advent Kitteh brings wine and pretzels, but only if one’s house is clean.
The Advent Kitteh won’t come here...they don’t drink. I can hardly wait to get home. For a lot of reasons. But i promised me I’d be nice today.
Be nice! Imagine you’re hitting the bars with Anoreth and Bill in Seattle ;-).
I survived Mass with the four byos and Kathleen. It started at 3:50 because the fire marshal said no more people could come in. DP took Sally to the overflow service at the high school; her choir was singing. Tom and Elen were planning to go to the 6:00 Mass at the church. Since they were gone when I got home, I think would get a parking space, if not a seat. They know better than to sit if any old people or people with babies are standing, anyway.
I was very nice today and I will be nice again tomorrow because there is no percentage in being otherwise. My son has been abig help to me in a lot of ways.
When I get back, I will have to talk with my daughter, because she is contemplating something very final and permanent. I’m not ready to give up on either child.
So this is a Christmas I won’t forget any time soon.
https://www.rightnow.org/Library/
Dear FRiends,
Merry Christmas! If you have a little time over the next few days, I’d like some advice. My mother signed me up for a Christian video-streaming service (link above) through her Presbyterian church. I’m a Catholic, myself, but I have no objection to learning something interesting about the Bible or history or missions or whatever from non-Catholic sources. For example, I’ve already noticed that they have some video from Voice of the Martyrs.
If any of you would mind taking a moment to glance at the offerings on the site, I would appreciate knowing what presenters (preachers, lecturers) you think you would like, or alternatively, any you would suggest avoiding.
Thank you so much for your help!
Oh, dear. I hope you can help your daughter work out something that isn’t disastrous!
Tom’s friends turned up - I’d forgotten he was going to take them to Mass - and ate like a plague of locusts, so we have less leftover than we had previously. They’re nice young men, or at least well brought up.
I would suggest you avoid any advice I might have to give regarding Christian concepts. I am a curmudgeon and a bad influence.
There's a faint possibility that makes me a better poet, but what value is that in the long run?
Bob, I think you’re a terrific person and a readable poet with a lot of insight into life. However, I did not think you were likely to have an opinion on good or bad Presbyterian-influenced Bible study teachers. Hope you don’t take it personal!
How’s the weather in your parts? It’s warm here, 50s at least.
The weather here is acceptable, if you’re partial to a wet Christmas. I wasn’t planning on having a rainball fight anyway.
If they’re trying to sell you on presbyopia, keep them at arm’s length.
My optometrist gave me presbyopia, but I’ve adjusted.
It is reasonably dry here. Tomorrow is your “Rogue One” viewing, right? Tom says it’s okay. He didn’t mention his opinion on “Assassin’s Creed,” in which he has a significant participant’s investment. I forgot to ask because I was grilling his friend on their school progress and stuff.
I have a significant viewer’s investment in all things Star Wars. That even includes Ewok adventures.
I am rather easily entertained. This comes as a blessing when I find myself alone.
Golly, Ewoks. When I find myself alone, I tend to fall asleep.
My mind is never so busy as when I am alone.
In regard to religious doctrines, this is a concept you might dwell upon.
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