It's another world ... but is it our 10th planet?

The Australian ^ | 3/15/04 | Louise Milligan

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

SCIENTISTS have found a new world orbiting the solar system – more than 3 billion kilometres further away from the Sun than Pluto and 40 years away from Earth in a space shuttle.

NASA is expected to announce today the discovery of the space object, which some experts believe could be a new planet.

It is provisionally known as Sedna, after the Inuit goddess of the sea.

The discovery of Sedna – 10 billion kilometres from Earth – is a testament to the new generation of high-powered telescopes.

Measurements suggest Sedna's diameter is almost 2000km – the biggest find in the solar system since Pluto was discovered 74 years ago. It is believed to be made of ice and rock, and is slightly smaller than Pluto.

The find will reignite the debate over what constitutes a planet. Some scientists claim even Pluto is too small to count as one.

According to astronomer Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology, who discovered Sedna, there could be many other new worlds orbiting the Sun and waiting to be discovered.

"Sedna is very big, and much further out than previous discoveries," he said. "I'm pretty sure there are other large bodies up there too."

But physicist and cosmologist Paul Davies, of Sydney's Macquarie University, said it was folly to describe Sedna as a planet. "It's fun, it's exciting, but let's keep it in proportion," Professor Davies said yesterday.

He said scientists had known for "a decade or so the solar system does not come to an abrupt halt" and there were a number of "planetessimals" or little planets, like Sedna.

[Cronos]

I think a planet would be a celstial body that orbits a star and has it's own rotation as well as a regular revolution. no indication if this body rotates around an axis.

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

BWAHAHAHAHAHA...I love it. Yes, sir there is intelligent life on earth....FreeRepublic.

[swilhelm73]

Um hello...Sedna? Doesn't fit the naming pattern.

Try again and look to something a wee bit more Mediterrian.

[Democratshavenobrains]

We should have named it after one of the Roman Gods, just like all the other planets. Maybe Vulcan?

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

I agree we should explore Pluto and Sedna. I would volunteer to do the 40 year trip each way,but I don;t know if they could stock enough Heinekin and shrimp in the cargo hold for me to survive. ANd while we're at it, we could also do a deep probe of your Uranus (we could use funds allocated to current black hole research). Uranus, not mine. Okay, I promise to stop now :)

[John Will]

How about using the norse gods.
Thor would be a great name for a planet.

[Mr. K]

SO HOW DOES THIS AFFECT MY ASTROLOGY CHART WHEN SEDNA IS RISING?

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

it makes you want to eat peanut butter...duh :)

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

So the other day, I'm sitting on my Sedna when this nun walks by....

[correctthought]

Er, and 'Mohammed' is not a god in anyone's mythology

Oh yeah.

Maybe this Cal Tech guy should sell the name to the highest bidder on ebay.

[Ole Okie]

ROFLOL!

[Geritol]

A hot soak in 120F water for half an hour once or twice a day will probably have a permanent positive effect on both the corn and the snowball within a week....

[null and void]

We should name it Leary, 'cause it's way out there.

We should name it Kerry, 'cause it's way out there, and it can't decide whether it's a planet or not...

[thoughtomator]

only if it revolves around the Sun to the left, and wobbles

[null and void]

Good point.

[tbeatty]

I don't think it's size, but rather orbits.

Comets originate from the Kuiper Belt and their orbits are highly eccentric. It is postulated that Pluto is a similiar object (not a comet, but originating from the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud.).

I suspect the issue of this new object is one of origing and orbit, rather than size.

[Imal]

It's actually Planet X, but since they already control Earth, they will suppress this and all other news of their homeworld.

Strange, who could that be at the door at this hour? Be right back...

[Savage Beast]

"It is provisionally known as Sedna"

I think we should name it Zecchariah.

[Focault's Pendulum]

agree we should explore Pluto and Sedna. I would volunteer to do the 40 year trip each way,but I don;t know if they could stock enough Heinekin and shrimp in the cargo hold for me to survive. ANd while we're at it, we could also do a deep probe of your Uranus (we could use funds allocated to current black hole research). Uranus, not mine. Okay, I promise to stop now

You're disgusting. Did you know that?

You screwed up an otherwise wonderful scientific thread by your inability to differentiate all those buttons on your keyboard.

The keyboard is our friend.

We rule the keyboard....the keyboard doesn't ruLe us.

[Destro]

Uranus is the name of the Greek god of the sky. In Greek it is pronounced Ouranos - Uranus is the inferior Latin pronounciation and spelling.

OURANOS was the solid dome of the sky and one of the ancient element gods called PROTOGENOI (The First Born). He was the first ruler of the universe but was castrated and deposed by his son Kronos.